Commonwealth Games swim hopefuls splash out

 

Most of the Commonwealth Games swimming hopefuls will have a final shakedown ahead of next month’s trials when they compete in the Auckland Swimming Championships that begin tomorrow night.

The championships present a further opportunity for the leading swimmers to practice their racing skills as well as a litmus test on their progress ahead of the all-important Commonwealth Games Trials on 5-9 April.

Many of the leading chances have competed more regularly this year across the Tasman and now shape up at home at the Auckland championships at the West Wave Aquatics Centre.

The championships feature 50m titles in all four disciplines to be run in a Skins-style elimination format over four rounds on Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday nights.

Tomorrow also features the finals of the men’s 1500m and women’s 800m freestyle.

Friday evening is the second round of the 50m skins series along with the finals of the 400m individual medley.

Saturday includes the100m butterfly, 200m breaststroke, 400m freestyle, 200m backstroke and 100m freestyle along with round three of the 50m series, with heats from 9am and finals from 6pm.

Sunday’s programme includes the 200m freestyle, 100m breaststroke, 200m butterfly, 100m backstroke and 200m individual medley plus the finals of the 50m series.

“The Commonwealth Games contenders are all still in very hard and intensive work right now, so they will be training through the weekend under fatigue,” Swimming New Zealand’s Jan Cameron said.

“It’s another good opportunity for them to hone their racing skills and practice the protocols around a championship.

“I am sure their coaches will be looking for them to have advanced from their previous competition at New South Wales. But they won’t be into their tapers for a few weeks yet, so it is more about the process.”

The Auckland championships begin at 6pm tomorrow (Thursday) at West Wave Aquatic Centre in Waitakere City.