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Five more swim finalists at World University Games
Tuesday, August 16th, 2005
New Zealand swimmers qualified five more finalists on an exhausting penultimate night at the World University Games in Turkey today.
They were unable to add to their three medal haul but produced some strong performances from tired bodies amid the frazzling heat near Izmir.
The squad achieved another first with two swimmers qualifying for the final of the women’s 50m butterfly, with Montreal world championship finalist Liz Coster (North Shore) finishing sixth and Georgina Toomey (Jasi, Chch) eighth.
Moss Burmester (North Shore) finished equal fourth in the B final of the 50m butterfly with teammate Matt Thomas (Hawkes Bay) eighth.
New Zealand also enjoyed another solid night in the relays with the women’s 4×100m medley relay finishing sixth in a solid 4:13.98, beating home Canada and France.
“Overall there were some really strong and gutsy performances from this squad today,’’ head coach Thomas Ansorg said. “Basically the team are like zombies. We are all totally fried now with the heat and travel. So they really stood up and competed well tonight.’’
Ansorg said the new-found success at both the world championships and world university games has added new challenges.
“This is the first time ever that we have had so many swimmer qualify for heats, semifinals and finals at big meetings. So for the first time they have to compete in so many swims at the top level. They have not had this load before and while we practice for it, they have to experience what it is like, especially in a place like this where the conditions are doubly difficult.
“People like Coster, Norfolk, Fitch and Burmester have had a huge load and it really taking its toll. But this experience is invaluable. We have stressed to them that they are now representing their country. They must step up and do it. And they are all responding.’’
Ansorg is delighted with the developing of strength across the board.
“If the men’s medley gets to the final tomorrow we will have had all relay teams qualify for the final which is huge. That means we are introducing new swimmers to this level and getting performances across the board.’’
While Coster could not quite produce her heroics from Montreal she improved from her heat to clock 27.37s for fourth in her final, which was 3/10ths off a medal while Toomey also improved from the morning with a 27.57s, close to her personal best.
Thomas continued to impress with his second personal best of the day, clocking 24.68s in the final of the 50m butterfly. The exhausted Burmester had a tough day. He stepped straight from his heat of the 200m freestyle to the 50m butterfly heat to finish equal last qualifier for the final.
He won his swim off against Korea’s Min Sung, who then earned a place in the final in any case after a withdrawal. The pair went on to record exactly the same time again at 24.62s to share fourth place, only 8/100ths of a second from third.
New Zealand qualified seventh in the 4×100m medley relay and took more than four seconds from this time to record 4:13.98 to be sixth in the final ahead of Canada and France.
Coster came in for Megan Allan with the fourth best time in the butterfly leg of 1:00.65 while team captain Fitch produced another motivating burst with the second best freestyle stint of 55.73s.
“We had a very young breaststroker who did her best time but we lost up to five seconds to the top teams and you can’t make this up. Fitch was just awesome again tonight.’’
There are 11 Kiwis in action plus the relay in tomorrow’s final day of the championships.
New Zealand results:
Heats:
400m individual medley: Tom McDonald (Capital) 4:41.36, 24; Michael Jack (North Shore) 4:46.81, 27.
50m butterfly: Liz Coster (North Shore) 27.44, 4; Georgina Toomey (Jasi, Chch) 27.95, 8
200m freestyle: Moss Burmester (North Shore) 1:53.60, 30; Robert Voss (North Shore) 1:53.73, 39.
50m butterfly: Matt Thomas (Hawkes Bay) 24.84, 14; Burmester 24.86, 15.
Women 4×100m medley relay: New Zealand 4:18.06 (M Ingram 1:05.73, S Vettoretti 1:13.37, M Allan 1:02.64, Fitch 56.32) 7.
A final:
50m butterfly: Coster 27.37s, 6; Toomey 27.57, 8.
Women 4×100m medley relay: New Zealand 4:13.98 (Ingram 1:04.24, Vettoretti 1:13.36, Coster 1:00.65, Fitch 55.73) 6.
B final:
50m butterfly: Burmester 24.62, equal 4; Thomas 24.68, 8.
For interviews contact:
Jan Cameron Tel 029 2553677 (until 7am NZ time or after 4pm - note Turkey 9hrs behind)
For information contact:
Ian Hepenstall, Sports Media NZ, Tel 09 2322960, Mob 021 613181
