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Kent , McLean into World Champs semi-finals

Wednesday 28 March 2007, 5:50PM

By Infonews Editor

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Kent in the heats
Kent in the heats Credit: Swimming NZ
Two more New Zealanders will join Moss Burmester in tonight’s action at the 12th FINA World Swimming Championships in Melbourne. The North Shore pair of Hannah Mclean and Dean Kent have qualified for semi-finals at the Rod Laver Arena tonight in the 50m backstroke and 200m individual medley respectively.

They will join Burmester who competes in the final of the men’s 200m butterfly where he will attempt to become the first New Zealander under the 1min 56sec barrier.

It marked another strong morning of heats for the Kiwis with two further New Zealand records. McLean fought back from the disappointment of missing out in her favoured 100m backstroke to qualify 15th for tonight’s semi-finals in the 50m sprint although clubmate Liz Coster could not replicate her recent outstanding form to miss out.

McLean was just outside her best with a 29.14 and will need to go under her national record of 28.89 to progress to the final. Top qualifier was American Leila Vaziri in 28.25s.

“It was good to see Hannah back to something like her best especially when she is not a noted sprinter,” head coach Jan Cameron said. “Liz has not fired and yet she has been one of the most impressive in training and could be a terrific international talent.”

Kent, 28, continued the New Zealand blitz at the championships, taking nearly a second off his own national mark in the heats of the 200m individual medley, and only 3/10ths off cracking the two minute barrier. He was the eighth fastest and will be pushing hard for a place in the final.

“It was an inspirational effort really and a real example to the rest of the team. Here’s a swimmer who has been around for several years and at 28 years old he is still improving – and significantly. He is a champion. When the chips are down he gets up and does his very best.” “He will be giving it absolutely everything tonight to go under that two minute mark.”

World record-holder and defending champion Michael Phelps (USA) was the top qualifier in 1:58.70. England-based Cameron Gibson became the first Kiwi to break the 50 second mark in the 100m freestyle. Gibson, now based in Bath under sprint coach Kim Swanwick, clocked a 49.88 which was almost a full second under his previous best. It broke the 14-year-old New Zealand of 50.12 set by John Steel at the Pan Pacs in Japan in 1993.

Gibson, unranked in the world coming into the championships, recorded the 25th best time and was only 4/10ths outside the qualifying mark for the semi-finals. West Auckland sprinter Mark Herring set a personal best 50.92 as the 58th fastest.

“That was a terrific performance. Cameron is really developing as a freestyler and his improvement is outstanding and Mark also did a PB – so they are getting up and executing to their best. It’s all you can ask for.”
New Zealand results, day 4 heats, FINA World Swimming Championships:
(time and overall placing in heats)

50m backstroke: Hannah McLean 29.14, 15th (Qualified for semi-final); Liz Coster 29.73, 28th.
100m freestyle: Cameron Gibson 49.88, 25th (NZ Record); Mark Herring 50.92, 58th.
200m individual medley: Dean Kent 2:00.30, 8th (NZ Record)

For interviews contact: Mark Saunders, Team Manager, Tel 0061 437 078533
For further information: Ian Hepenstall, Sports Media NZ, Tel 0275 613181, E: ianhep@xtra.co.nz