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Swedish swim world champion to race in New Zealand

Sweden’s two-time world champion Therese Alshammar will add considerable glamour to next month’s Commonwealth Games Swim Trials in Auckland.

Alshammar and Australian-based sprinter Michelle Engelsman will both compete in the trials at the Waitakere Aquatic Centre from 6 to 10 December.

The pair have been training and racing in Australia.

Alshammar has been training in Australia with New Zealand’s former world record holder, Zoe Baker across the Tasman, who invited her to compete in Auckland on her way back to Europe.

Sydney-based Engelsman, a two-time Australian champion, trained at university in the United States with the son of New Zealand coaching Director Clive Rushton, who invited the Australian to compete here.

``It’s a terrific chance for our best swimmers to test themselves against some of the world’s best,’’ Rushton said. ``This is a very important meet for Kiwi swimmers and so I will be not only great for our sprinters to see two top performers, they will hopefully be able to drag them through to qualifying times for Melbourne.

``It’s also a rare chance for our swimming public to see some of the world’s best in action.’’

The 28-year-old Alshammar is a two-time world champion and world record holder over 100m freestyle and a three-time Olympic medalist. She is currently the world record holder for 50m freestyle short course. Nicknamed The Diva, she is a pin-up figure in Europe.

Engelsman, 25, won the Australian 50m freestyle title twice and is a former Oceania gold medalist.

Alshammar will only race the first half of the meet before flying out to the European Championships.