Swimming: Cameron Leslie set for medal bid

Whangarei swimmer and Northern Advocate sports editor Cameron Leslie is set to kick off his medal bid at the International Paralympic Committee World Long Course Swimming Championships in Canada.

Leslie will be racing in the 50m backstroke men's heat at 1.21am tomorrow New Zealand time in Montreal.

The 50m backstroke comes before his specialty - the 150m individual medley race which is on Sunday morning New Zealand time.

"Generally my coach and I have used races like the backstroke as a build-up to the medley, essentially I'm doing one third of my medley so it is a good gauge as to how I'm tracking," he told the Advocate from Montreal.

He still thinks he is in with a good shot at a medal in the 50m backstroke, a race he has been working on for the last few years.

Leslie will be racing in an outdoor pool for the first time in his career.

"I can't say I've raced in anything like it. At the end of the day it's a pool and everyone is in the same boat so no one can complain."

Leslie won gold in the 150m medley at the London and Beijing paralympics and is the world record holder with a time of 2.25:98, but he said he's getting some real competition from his main rival for the title, Mexican swimmer Gustavo Sanchez.

Leslie said he focuses on relaxing before his races - he listens to music and likes to have a laugh.

"Most of the time you're almost over-amped so I find it beneficial to just take a step back and relax," he said.

The IPC Swimming Championships are a good chance for Leslie to catch up with other competitors and friends he made in London.

"Catching up with them has been good, you don't get to see them face to face all that often after all."

Tune in online at www.youtube.com/paralympicsporttv to see Leslie go for gold.

50m backstroke heat: 1.21am NZ time on August 15.

50 backstroke final: 9.26am NZ time on August 15.

150m individual medley (straight final pending confirmation): 9.08am NZ time on August 18.