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Kiwi swimmers medal on first day of competition
Saturday, August 13th, 2005
New Zealand swimmers won the second medal ever to highlight the first day of swim finals at the World University Games in Izmir, Turkey today.
The women’s 4×100m freestyle relay team won a silver medal in a superb performance to finish behind the USA and hold off strong challenges from France, Russian and Japan.
The last medal won by any New Zealand athlete at the World University Games went to swimmer Paul Kingsman, who won a bronze medal more than 20 years ago while Athens Olympian Scott Talbot-Cameron was the best performer at the last Games two years ago when he qualified for one final.
“This is a great start for the team to get a silver medal on the first night, and Moss Burmester also made the A final,’’ head coach Thomas Ansorg said. “We were delighted with the effort today. It has set up a great platform for the rest of the week.’’
Burmester, who narrowly missed the final of the 200m butterfly at the recent world championships in Montreal, finished sixth in a strong field in the A final today.
The race was won by the gold and silver medallist from Montreal, Poland’s Pawel Korzeniowski and Japan’s Takeshi Matsuda. The Kiwi was again strong through the 150m mark and was unable to hold his pace over the closing 50m, clocking 1:58.69, only fractionally slower than his semifinal performance in Montreal.
“Overall the field here was very strong and comparable to the world championships, so it was a very good first-up performance from Moss.’’
The highlight came at the end of the evening session with the New Zealand quartet of Alison Fitch, Helen Norfolk, Georgina Toomey and Te Rina Taite grabbing silver in the 4×100m freestyle relay.
Fitch, the New Zealand team captain, led-off with a strong 57.10s, with Norfolk, Toomey and Taite all swimming in the low 56s mark for the silver. USA proved too strong with a University Games record while Taite showing the benefits of her experience in Montreal, holding off the strong finishes from France and Russia to clock 3:46.59.
This was less than two seconds outside the New Zealand record set in Montreal, where sprinter Nichola Chellingworth and brilliant Hannah McLean were in the line-up with the experienced Fitch and Norfolk.
“It was an outstanding performance, they really stood up,’’ Ansorg said. “We had two new, younger swimmers in this line-up in Toomey and Taite who both swam extremely well.
“In the bigger picture we have blooded two more relay swimmers now and we have already done better than any New Zealand team ever at these games and it is only the first day of competition.’’
Ansorg said the swimmers had created a strong bond amid the difficult conditions facing the team in Turkey.
“It’s quite crazy here really. It is extremely hot and we are more than an hour from the village to the pool which creates some difficulties. Security is quite tight so there is really very little to do at the village.
“It is going to be a test of nerves and patience coping here, mentally it is as exhausting as it is physically. Today was a real credit to our athletes who are a fantastic team with a lot of spirit.’’
Otago’s Andrew McMillan qualified for the B final of the 200m butterfly, recording a personal best 2:01.12 to finish 13th overall.
Breaststrokers Glenn Snyders (North Shore) and Richard Adamson (Aqua Gym, Chch) were the best of t he rest of the Kiwis in action today, both recording personal bests in the 200m breaststroke, although neither could advance to the finals in quality fields.
Sarah Vettoretti (West Auckland) and Taite did not advance in the 50m breaststroke while Cameron Gibson missed out in the heats of the 200m backstroke, with both North Shore swimmers concentrating on freestyle events later in the meet.
New Zealand results, day 1, finals:
Women 4×100m freestyle relay: USA 3:42.97, 1; New Zealand (Alison Fitch Nth Shore 57.1, H Norfolk Nth Shore 562, (both Massey Albany) G Toomey Jasi Chch (University of Canterbury) 56.8, T Taite Nth Shore (Massey Albany) 56.4) 3:46.59, 2; France 3:46.68, 3.
200m butterfly, A final: Moss Burmester (North Shore) from Massey Albany 1:58.69, 6th.
B final: Andrew McMillen (Neptune, Dunedin) (University of Otago) 2:01.12, 5th (13th overall)
Heats:
200m breaststroke: Glenn Snyders (North Shore) 2:20.98, Richard Adamson (Aqua Gym, Chch) 2:22.14.
50m breaststroke: Sarah Vettoretti (West Auckland) from University Auckland 34.34s, Taite 34.83s.
200m backstroke: Cameron Gibson (North Shore) from University of Auckland 2:05.20.
For interviews contact:
Jan Cameron Tel 029 2553677 (until 7am NZ time – Turkey 9hrs behind)
For information contact:
Ian Hepenstall, Sports Media NZ, Tel 09 2322960, Mob 021 613181
