Norfolk, Snyders brilliant in Beijing qualifying swims

Helen Norfolk and Glenn Snyders set the pool alight when they cemented spots for Beijing in the first night of heats in the Absolute Insurance Olympic Trials in Waitakere City tonight.

Norfolk is believed to be the first New Zealand swimmer to qualify for three Olympics when she crushed the qualifying standard by an astonishing six seconds in the heats.

This took more than five seconds off the New Zealand record in a time that would have placed her seventh in the world last year.

Snyders, 20, surprised himself with a brilliant performance to take 1.3 seconds off his own national record and go under the Beijing qualifying mark in the 100m breaststroke. He turned in 28.40s and powered home to earn himself a spot for Beijing, in a time of 1:00.50 which would have placed him sixth in the world last year.

His North Shore team-mate Liz Coster showed she was in top form to beat her own national record to top qualifiers in the heats of 50m backstroke while Moss Burmester set a personal best in topping the heats of his warm-up event, the 400m freestyle.

Dean Kent looked comfortable in his heat of the medley, cruising through in 4:21.33, less than three seconds outside the qualifying time for Beijing.

Norfolk set the meet on fire with a magnificent swim in the medley heats. She was ahead of the record splits throughout in a magnificent performance, clocking 4:39.07 well inside the previous mark of 4:44.56 set by Liz Van Welie at the Manchester Commonwealth Games in 2002.

“I knew a good time was there. Our coaches have really pushed us throughout the summer and it is starting to pay dividends now,” Norfolk said. “I have swum fast in training but this was fantastic and I am so pleased.”

And did the new swim suits make a difference?

“I guess it makes a difference especially at the turns. There’s a whole science involved. But it does not take away that I’ve worked really hard to swim fast. That’s what was more important.”

Snyders was thrilled with his outstanding swim and surprised that he swam so fast, clocking 1:00.50, inside his own previous record of 1:01.80. It was more than a second inside the Fina A qualifying mark for Beijing.

“I’ve been training well. I thought I could to 1:01 but to go 60.5 is amazing. I’m pretty shocked,” Snyders said. “It’s great to get it done in the heats so now I can relax and enjoy the meet.

“I just felt great out there. I’ve worked really hard for this and I am a bit shocked. I am so pleased to make it as an individual and let’s see if I can go faster tomorrow in the finals.”

Coster clocked 28.73s to top qualifiers in the heats of the 50m backstroke, taking 6/100ths of a second off her own national record set last month.

Kent was pleased with his swim in the 400m medley heats, with his main focus on the 200m later in the meet.

“It was a good first-up swim for me,” Kent said. “My main mission is the 200 medley but I will be giving it everything in tomorrow’s final.

“My training has been going well and I am really going to enjoy this week and the challenge. I love the competition and the big events.”

The 29 year old was in a class of his own, nearly 10 seconds ahead of West Auckland’s Brett Newall, 18, the second fastest qualifier, who won the first heat in 4:30.99 to set a new national age group mark.

Burmester produced a personal best to top qualifiers in the heats of the 400m freestyle, an event he used as a warm-up for his main aim of the 100m and 200m butterfly.

“I could have done better but my suit filled up with water for some reason which was annoying,” Burmester said. “It was a bit annoying and cost me a better time for sure.”

Tomorrow will see finals of the men’s and women’s 400m individual medley, 100m butterfly (women), 400m freestyle (men), 100m breaststroke (men), 50m butterfly (men) and 50m backstroke (women) starting at 10am.