Kiwi swimmers eye Fina world youth championship
The swim focus turns to teenage talent when New Zealand’s burgeoning young stars compete in the inaugural FINA World Youth Championship starting in Brazil tomorrow.
Seven young swimmers qualified for the New Zealand team for the five-day meet at Rio de Janeiro.
Swimming New Zealand director of coaching Clive Rushton said the inaugural world event presents a tremendous opportunity to develop New Zealand’s burgeoning swim talent.
“We have taken a very young group to Brazil. It is an 18 years and under competition but all of our swimmers are 15 or 16 years,” Mr Rushton said.
“We set the selection standard at the 18 years level so they did very well to qualify. I expect this to be a very competitive competition. If we are able to get swimmers through to finals it will be an outstanding performance.”
Rushton said that until this event the elite junior competitors have competed across the Tasman and all performed well in the Australian age group and Trans Tasman competitions.
“This is a big jump up again and it gives us a chance to blood them in major international competition.
“We see this group as our potential swimmers in the 2010 Commonwealth Games in India and the 2012 London Olympics.”
Auckland 16-year-old Kurt Bassett (Mt Eden) is a major hope after excellent performances at age group level in New Zealand and Australia, while Natalie Wiegersma (Southland) and Emily Thomas (Gisborne) scored wins in the recent Trans Tasman competition.
The team is: Shane Patience (Raumati), Kane Radford (Russell Atholetic, Rotorua), Kurt Bassett (Mt Eden, Auckland), Orinoco Faamausili-Banse (Mt Eden), Emily Thomas (Comet, Gisborne), Natalie Wiegersma (Spirit of Southland), Penelope Marshall (Greerton, Tauranga). Coaches: Clive Power, John Pike, Jeremy Duncan. Manager: Esther Price.
