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Student swimmers primed to make big splash in Turkey
Saturday, June 11th, 2005
A COMPETITION sharpened swim team appear New Zealands most likely medal source at August’s World University Games in Turkey. Nine of the 20-strong squad selected for the Summer Universiade will kick on to Izmir fresh from competing at the Fina world championships in Montreal in late July. They are Moss Burmester, Cameron Gibson, Glenn Snyders, Elizabeth Coster, Georgina Toomey, Alison Fitch, Helen Norfolk, Te Rina Taite and Melissa Ingram.
University Sport New Zealand today rubber-stamped Swimming New Zealand’s 11-man, nine-woman team for the biennial University Games to be staged in Izmir, Turkey’s third largest city, from August 11-21.
University Sport NZ executive director Jim Ellis is thrilled with the calibre of the team, especially the nine athletes who will fly to Izmir following the July 24-31 worlds in Montreal. “This is our strongest team for Izmir without question,†Ellis said. “We’ve got really high expectations and the fact Swimming NZ is bringing nine swimmers straight from Montreal is the biggest indictment for the World University Games we could have wished for.†Swimming NZ director of coaching Clive Rushton said the University Games were an important step in the development of athletes towards world championships and Olympic Games.
“The World University Games is gaining status worldwide and is fiercely competed by many of the world’s leading swimming nations. We are determined to support talented swimmers to this competition and will continue to give it a high priority in our competitive schedule,†he said.
New Zealand will compete in 8 of the 13 sports on the Izmir programme - athletics, fencing, gymnastics (artistic), soccer (women), swimming, tennis, volleyball (women) and sailing.
The 2003 World University Games in Daegu, Korea attracted more than 6500 athletes from over 160 countries, including a 70-strong delegation from New Zealand.
New Zealand’s team for Izmir is expected to top 100 athletes and officials.
For a full list of the NZ Team competiting at the 2005 World University Games, please visit 2005 WUG Team.
