Coach Diego M. Henao, OLY* is from Valencia, Venezuela. Diego’s interest of sports began at an early age with a range of sports including soccer, pin pong, basketball, volleyball, and track and field, among others. A few years later, Diego’s parents, Jorge and Gilma, developed a curiosity in water sports. Following in his older brother, Jorge II’s footsteps, young Diego became interested little-by-little in everything that swimming encompasses.

Diego Henao’s swim career began in the lower divisions in 1978. In just 10 years, he made the jump to the Venezuelan National Team in 1988. In 1990, the teenaged Diego had the opportunity to travel to the USA as an international student. Coach John Turner and his fabulous family welcomed Diego into their home to live with them while he trained to fulfill one of his ultimate career goals. That is, to follow in the footsteps of what his older brother, Jorge, had accomplished a few years earlier – to participate at the Olympic Games.

From 1988 to 1996, Henao traveled to eight countries and broke records in many divisions, teams and countries. Henao went from his home club team, Los Delfines de Carabobo under the supervision of Ignacio De Leon, to his USA local swim team, The Trojan Aquatic Club and Jenks High School Swim Team, to his college team, Northeast Louisiana University while also representing his home country of Venezuela.

After six years of studying and hard work in the pool, Diego lived his dream when he participated in the 1996 Olympic Games in Atlanta. Diego Henao’s achievement highs include: Bronze medalist at the Pan-American Games Argentina 1995, World 12^th Place Finisher - World Short Course Qualifier 200 Freestyle Brazil 1995, 100 & 200 Freestyle Swimmer Record Holder Jenks High School, and Gold medalist and South-American Championship record holder 200 Ind. Medley, Valencia 1995.

From his Olympic debut in 1996 until today, Henao has dedicated himself to: motivate, encourage, educate, teach and coach others by helping them achieve their short and long-term goals.  Diego began his seasoned coaching career at the Assistant Swim Coach at the University of Louisiana (4 years), and as the Head Age Group Coach and Head Coach at Indian Aquatic Club (11 years) before moving back to his home base in Oklahoma as the Assistant Coach and then Head Coach of the Jenks Trojan Swim Club (2007-present). As the Swim Club Coordinator, or “El Jefe” as he is affectionately known, Coach Diego organizes, implements, manages and directs the swim program. Diego brings a passion and enthusiasm to please his students, the coaching staff and parents such that they leave satisfied with the work done.

Coach Diego’s style or methodology has served him well in the last 23 years of coaching and successful leadership. His athletes and their parents have benefited from his team player attitude, his friendliness and good sense of humor, and from the personalized, analytical and meticulous daily activity that he plans for his team.

As Head Swim Coach for Jenks High School Swim Team, Coach Diego Henao, OLY has come full circle. From a promising young swimmer on the Jenks High School and Club Swim Programs to the Olympics, it has always been an honor for Diego to represent Jenks as a student and a swimmer under Coach John Turner. In fact, Coach Turner told students the story each year of how “Diego wore his Jenks High School swim cap at the Olympics and almost was disqualified for it!” 

In Coach Diego’s first year of being in charge of the Jenks High School Swim team, the boys’ team won the State Championship and the girls’ team was the runner up. 

As Head Coach of the High School and the Aquatic Club, Coach Diego looks forward to the opportunity to carry the illustrious Jenks Swim Legacy forward with future generations of Jenks swimmers.

*OLY are post-nominal letters granted to athletes who have participated in the Olympic Games.