Fina World Swimming Championships day 2 heats

Kiwi swimmers produced solid if not spectacular performances on the second day of heats at the 13th FINA World Swimming Championships in Rome today.

None progressed to the evening programme of semifinals but all improved their world rankings at the Foro Italico this morning (local time).

Former Central Otago swimmer Andrew McMillan, now training under Scott Talbot at North Shore, clocked 1:48.30 to set a new personal best in heats of the 200m freestyle to be 27th fastest, after coming into the meet with the 65th best time this year.

West Auckland’s Michael Jack, coached by Simon Mayne, finished the same event in 1:49.11, just outside his best set at the trials, to be 40th fastest, an improvement of 27 places on his world ranking.

Nineteen-year-old Daniel Bell was a fingertip outside his Beijing Olympic best, clocking 54.58 in the final of 13 heats of the 100m backstroke. He was half a second outside the final qualifying spot for the semifinals. He had the 49th fastest time in the world this year set at the trials, with his effort today lifting him to 23rd fastest.

There’s real expectation tomorrow with New Zealand’s highest ranked swimmer, Moss Burmester back in the pool, in the heats of his favoured 200m butterfly. He was fourth in the world championships in Melbourne two years and also at the Beijing Olympics.

He is joined in the pool by Glenn Snyders who swims in the heats of the 50m breaststroke. Both swimmers are coached by Thomas Ansorg at the International Training Centre.

New Zealand results, day 2 heats:
200m freestyle: Andrew McMillan 1:48.30, 27th fastest; Michael Jack 1:49.11, 40.
100m backstroke: Daniel Bell 54.58, 23.