Snyders proves new star at Olympic Swim Trials

North Shore 20-year-old Glenn Snyders stepped up to become the new star of the Absolute Insurance 08 Olympic Swim Trials at Waitakere City today.

Snyders added the Olympic 200m breaststroke berth to the 100m breaststroke qualification earlier in the meet – and became the first qualifier to go faster in the morning heat than in the heats on the previous night at the West Wave Aquatic Centre.

The New Zealand trials are being staged under the same format as in Beijing with the heats at night and finals in the morning, but so far the six other qualifying swims have been swum faster in the heats.

Five individuals in seven events and one relay team have now qualified for Beijing with two days of finals remaining.

Snyders’ team-mate Moss Burmester also went under the qualifying time to win the final of the 200m butterfly, while Helen Norfolk, the queen of the pool, showed she was also the toughest with two titles within minutes today.

Snyders has been the most improved of the leading swimmers at the meet, knocking 1.3 seconds off his previous best in the 100m and today he clocked 2:13.05 to go under the Olympic mark and also smash his national record by more than 2.5 seconds.

“I had it in my mind that I wanted to swim this event at the Olympics and I gave it everything. I was stoked at the time,” Snyders said.

“I was a good two seconds off qualifying coming into the meet but the way I swam in the 100m gave me confidence.”

Snyders said he did not know why he was the first to go faster in his morning final.

“I just went about everything the same. I just felt awesome this morning and so glad that I could go under the time.”

Norfolk, 26, came from behind to defend her 200m freestyle title edging out US-based Lauren Boyle (West Auckland Aquatics) and Hayley Palmer (North Shore).

Twenty five minutes later she was back in the pool to retain her 200m individual medley title in 2:17.76, after clocking 2:14 to set a new record and go under the Beijing mark in last night’s heats.

“I really wanted to have a real crack at the record in the freestyle. I wanted to become the first woman to go under the two minutes. I was a bit out but I still had a good race. I am happy about that,” Norfolk said.

“The 200 medley after that was about how much I could kill myself, how well I could swim under fatigue. It really hurt. It hurt a lot and I am really pleased with what I did.”

Burmester was untroubled in winning the 200m butterfly in 1:55.50, half a second outside last night’s Commonwealth record but well inside the Olympic qualifying mark.

“We will see if we do go quicker at night in Beijing – we will find that out,” Burmester said. “I struggled to get to sleep and woke up early. It was a bit difficult.

“I think the Olympics will be a bit different because it is a longer programme over nine days so it is more spaced out with more time in between.”

The women’s 4x200m freestyle relay also cemented their place in Beijing after the 200m freestyle final. They earned an invitation after a top-12 finish at last year’s World Championships but had to re-qualify under NZOC requirements.

The make-up of the relay team will be finalised after the 4x200m freestyle relay.

Outstanding West Auckland 17 year old Daniel Bell pushed his claims with a New Zealand record in winning the 50m backstroke in 25.95, 25/100ths of a second inside the previous mark.

UK-based sprinter Cameron Gibson edged out record-holder Mark Herring (West Auckland) to win the 100m freestyle title by just 2/100ths of a second.

Rotorua’s Kane Radford came from behind on the last lap to take out the 1500m over Dunedin pacesetter Bryn Murphy in 15:38.48.

In other swims Annabelle Carey (Aquagym) won the 50m breaststroke and Charlotte Webby (Bell Block) took out the 200m butterfly.

The championships finish on Sunday.

 

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27th March 2008

 

Burmester, Norfolk brilliant in Olympic Trials

 

Moss Burmester regained his Commonwealth record in the 200m butterfly to highlight the third night of heats at the Absolute Insurance 08 Olympic Trials at Waitakere tonight.

He was joined by North Shore team-mate Helen Norfolk who crushed her own national record to score her second Olympic qualifying performance in the 200m individual medley, to go with her 400m IM effort earlier in the meet.

The pair also broke their own New Zealand records and were joined by club mate Glenn Snyders, who bettered his own mark in the 200m breaststroke.

Five swimmers have now qualified for Beijing in six events.

Burmester, 26, produced a brilliant solo swim to record 1:54.99, which broke his own national record and regained the Commonwealth record lost earlier this week to Nick D’Arcy in the Australian Olympic trials.

The Commonwealth Games gold medalist, who was fourth in last year’s World Championships, went out powerfully through the 100m in 54.76s and came home in 60 seconds for his final 100m in a superb performance.

Burmester was delighted to qualify but believes there’s more to come.

“The swim didn’t feel like a really, really good swim so I know there plenty more there,” Burmester said.

“Before the race I was confident I could get my Commonwealth record back and do a PB.

“I guess there was some extra motivation to get the record back although you can’t really concern yourself about your opposition or you lose track on yourself.

“I’ve worked with my coaches on the times I need to hit in training and I think there’s still more left.

“I was confident I could do the qualifying time because I had done it before in training and in Beijing at the test event but I put pressure on myself to keep improving and swimming faster.”

Norfolk showed her absolute class and tough attitude to bounce back from a mediocre 400m freestyle final this morning and the heats of the 200m freestyle 20 minutes before her medley.

The 26 year old paced herself well over the first 100m and came home strongly to clock 2:14.00, more than a second inside the Olympic qualifying time and her previous record.

“I was trying for the 400m free today but my race did not go to plan,” Norfolk said. “I kinda lost a bit of confidence. So going into tonight I gave it my all and really believed in myself so much and it was a great time.

“But I know now that I can do so much better. I am just so glad to have qualified.

“I expected to go a bit quicker. I’ve been stuck around the same for years and it’s about time I really made a big, big improvement like I did in the 400 IM. I’m really positive every time I go into that race now.”

Snyders followed his record effort in the 100m breaststroke to break his own record over the 200m. He produced a solo effort to win in 2:14.47, which was more than a second inside his old mark and only 8/10ths of a second off the Olympic qualifying time.

In other swims National short course 100m champion Hayley Palmer laid down the challenge in the women’s 200m freestyle by topping qualifiers, while Charlotte Webby (Bell Block) was fastest in the heats of the 200m butterfly.

The men’s 100m freestyle is shaping as a cracker with former record holder Cameron Gibson (Bath University) fastest, just 3/100ths of a second ahead of new record-holder Mark Herring (West Auckland).

Christchurch’s Annabelle Carey (Aquagym) was fastest in heats of the 50m breaststroke and Kurt Bassett (Laser Mt Eden) topped the heats of the 50m backstroke.