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Kiwi swimmers complete international breakthrough
Thursday, August 18th, 2005
A tired but delighted New Zealand swim team completed a six-week campaign that put them firmly on the international map, after the final night of competition at the World University Games in Turkey.
The team qualified for six finals, and although they could not add to their record-breaking medal haul, coach Thomas Ansorg said the overall results were a significant step for the sport in this country.
“At the end of the meet the swimmers were so popular with other teams wanting to swap gear. After our efforts at the world championships and now here in Turkey, the swimming world is starting to take some notice of us,’’ Ansorg said.
The swim squad ensured the New Zealand team enjoyed their most successful World University Games, with a record three medals to go with 12 A finals and 13 B finals.
“We need to put the world championships and now these World University Games together to say that it has been a very important step forward by the New Zealand swimmers.
“We have a long way still to go but we took a very big step in the last six weeks. It’s not happened by chance. It’s been a planned process over months and years in fact.
“For that we need to acknowledge Jan Cameron. It’s her great vision that has inspired and driven this programme now for more than a decade to this point where our swimmers can now see and believe that they can be competitive on the world stage.
“And this is not coming from one or two individually gifted swimmers but across the board as a result of good programme, good coaching and the resources to keep our top swimmers in the sport.’’
Kiwi swimmers made six finals tonight headed by world championship short course medallist Melissa Ingram who placed seventh in the final of the 200m backstroke with a strong 2:16.77 effort.
Others to contest B finals included Wellington’s Aleisha Keating who had to wait for the final day to compete but produced a personal best in the 200m butterfly. North Shore’s Helen Norfolk continued her backstroke development to improve her as a medley swimmer and West Auckland Aquatics’ Sarah Vettoretti made the most of her late addition to the 100m breaststroke final to finish sixth.
Team captain Alison Fitch (North Shore) swam her second fastest 50m freestyle ever of 26,37s to place fifth in the B final just ahead of Christchurch’s Georgina Toomey, who produced another personal best to cap a memorable campaign.
Ansorg was delighted with the development of the relay teams in both international meets.
“The women broke through at Montreal to the top stage and now the men have made a first step here. It is a vital part of developing our overall programme.’’
Ansorg believes the World University Games provide an important competition for New Zealand swimmers.
“Most of our top swimmers are in universities and receive Prime Minister’s scholarships that are a major part of high performance sport in New Zealand. Therefore this meet offers them a huge opportunity and it would be a big benefit for us to be part of the next championships in two years time.’’
Ansorg said the 2007 championships in Bangkok will not be back-to-back with the world championships and will form an important competition for both the Olympic and developing international swimmers.
While the conditions were far from ideal in Turkey with extreme heat and travel, it provided an important experience for the swimmers.
“This is not a world championships but it had its own charm. It was challenging but a very enjoyable experience in a different culture. The conditions were an issue of course, but it was also a help in that the swimmers had to learn to cope and to focus instead on getting the job done.’’
The team returns home for a much-needed break before starting their build-up for the all-important Commonwealth Games trials in December.
New Zealand results, day 6:
Heats:
200m butterfly: Aleisha Keating (Capital) 2:18.84, 13; Megan Allan (Aqua Gym, Chch) 2:23.97, 19.
50m breaststroke: Glenn Snyders (North Shore) 29.44, 26; Richard Adamson (Aqua Gym) 30.15, 34.
200m backstroke: Melissa Ingram (North Shore) 2:16.87, 7; Helen Norfolk (North Shore) 2:19.60, 10.
50m freestyle: Matt Thomas (Hawkes Bay) 23.58, 27; Cameron Gibson (North Shore) 24.22, 44.
100m breaststroke: Sarah Vettoretti (West Auckland Aquatics) 1:14.30, 18.
50m freestyle: A Fitch (North Shore) and Georgina Toomey (Jasi, Chch) 26.54, equal 13.
Men 4×100m medley relay: New Zealand 3:46.75, 1. (Gibson 57.53, Snyders 1:04.18, Moss Burmester 54.06, Thomas 50.98)
A final:
200m backstroke: Ingram 2:16.77, 8.
B final:
200m butterfly: Keating 2:19.33, 6.
200m backstroke: Norfolk 2:18.28, 2.
100m breaststroke: Vettoretti 1:13.94, 6.
50m freestyle: Fitch 26.37, 5; Toomey 26.55, 6.
For interviews contact:
Jan Cameron Tel 029 2553677 (until 8am NZ time or after 4pm - note Turkey 9hrs behind)
For information contact:
Ian Hepenstall, Sports Media NZ, Tel 09 2322960, Mob 021 613181
