Swimming: Kent gets quivers in quick qualifier

By TERRY MADDAFORD

Dean Kent made it look easy as he ticked off the qualifying time for the 400m individual medley at the world championships here last night.

But he had some reservations.

"I was a bit nervous," said Kent after he had beaten North Shore clubmate Anthony Van Der Kray by almost 8s at the national championships in Kilbirnie. "I didn't swim very smart. I went hard through 200m while Anthony was there but my legs weren't great after that.

"I'm disappointed I fell into that trap. I haven't raced much long course recently. Now I have the qualifying time out of the way I can get back into the endurance work.

"I feel I can go 6s faster at the world champs which would get me close to a medal."

Kent returned later in the programme but could finish no better than third behind titleholder Kieran Daly - another from the Jan Cameron/Igor Polianski North Shore stable - in the 100m breaststroke final.

Daly, who won in 1m 05.15s, and Kent were separated by another from the club with Glen Snyders finishing strongly to record 1m 05.56s and break the national 16-year-old record he set in the heats.

Corney Swanepol broke his own national 17-year-old 100m butterfly record with a 53.85s swim which was also [again] under the 53.87s he needed for the worlds.

Alison Fitch, another already bound for the worlds following her outstanding swim in the record-breaking 4x200m freestyle relay on the first night, showed she is ready to go under the 56.06s 100m freestyle qualifying mark in tonight's final.

Not pressed, Fitch was easily the fastest in last night's semifinals, heading West Auckland Aquatics' Caroline Pickering by almost 2s in a time of 56.12s.

"I felt good," said Fitch. "I haven't got a morning swim tomorrow so I'll be ready to have a real go in the final."

A few minutes later she returned to the pool for the 50m butterfly to win the first semifinal and swim within 0.02s of Monique Robins' New Zealand record, her 27.96s a personal best and the first time under 28s.

The second semifinal was even faster, with Christchurch's Georgina Toomey swimming 27.87s to claim the record.

Cameron Gibson, defending the 100m backstroke title he won in Auckland last year, led all the way in the unfancied outside lane to pip North Shore clubmate Scott Talbot-Cameron. Both went under 57s but outside the 56.18s needed to qualify for the worlds.

Hannah McLean fared better. Her 1m 02.23s morning swim was under the 1m 02.93s target. She was slower in winning the final but held off Melissa Ingram who was just over a second outside the qualifying time.