Mark Cooper doesn't just leave all his Northland swimming rivals in his wake, he keeps rewriting the records books as well.
Now the talented swimmer is heading to Europe to get a dose of reality and another taste of international competition to add to his impressive sporting resume.
Cooper rounded off a
forceful swimming season with his sixth straight Northland Swimmer of the Year title at the weekend. It put a fullstop on a season where he banked 48 Northland senior men's and age-group records and won an unexpected bronze medal at the New Zealand open championships in the 400m medley.
"I really started to get a roll on this year," Cooper said. "The year started off really great with the Northland age-groups meet way back in January then it just carried on with me breaking all my PBs (personal bests), getting the medal then more PBs and more records.
"It is all going well in my studies as well. It has just been a good year for me."
Cooper, who is still coached by his mother Monica as part of the Northwave Swim Squad, is now set to head to Europe to compete in the Mare Nostrum series where he said the step up in competition will test his progress.
"It is sort of in between where I am and the Olympics. It is a stepping stone basically to step up and not leap in the deep end ... a gradual step to the next level I need to get to," he said.
The European series will see Cooper swimming in Monaco, Canet and Barcelona for a two-day meet in each location held over 10 days in June.
Cooper said he will concentrate on 200m backstroke and 200m butterfly but will also dabble in the 400m medley in Europe.
