London Olympic hopefuls in fast lane

Four swimmers hoping to make this year's London Olympics are among 18 potential stars in training at Dargaville's 50-metre pool.

The swimmers are all students of the Auckland-based Magic NZ Swimming Academy, who are coached by the academy's director, former NZ Olympian breaststroker Paul Kent. They have spent a week in Dargaville working mostly on improving speed and will be competing in the Northland Championships this weekend.

"Its a good chance for the senior swimmers to get their first race under the belt," said Kent."From now on they will be racing pretty much each weekend in the lead-up to the Olympic trials in nine weeks.

For Neilsen Varoy, 20, (50 and 100m freestyle), Luke Westgaard, 20, (100 and 200m breaststroke) and Adam McDonald, 19, it will be their first attempt at the Olympic team.

Another Olympic hopeful is 100m freestyler Sarah Cathewood, who at 31 is trying for selection again having already represented New Zealand in 1996.

For the last four months the swimmers have been training at various pools and gyms in Auckland for up to 35 hours a week

Fifth year medical student Malcolm Richardson joins the training camp as a Commonwealth Games prospect. "Malcolm is a very talented swimmer, I'd really like to see him take a year's sabbatical to have a crack at the Commonwealth Games," said Kent.

"In fact we have plenty of talent in the pool," he says, indicating the 11 younger swimmers, the youngest of who is only 13, training with assistant coach Rob de Villiers.

Mr Kent said he is keen to come back to Dargaville again next year, praising the facilities although the pool was colder than the squad had been used to.

Four lanes have been closed off from the public during the academy's training time.

The swimmers have been staying at the Baylys Beach Camping Ground. Mr Kent said in the future he would like to have the training camp catered for and would be keen to hear from anyone who might be able to provide meals for the swimmers.

Mr Kent, who has been coaching for the past 10 years, says he enjoys working with "such great kids".

"Not all will make it to the Olympics, but the discipline required for championship training will pay off in their normal lives outside of swimming. And for those who do make it [to the Olympics] its a journey they will never forget," he says.