Something new for swimming duo

Competing at the national age group swimming championships at Te Rapa Waterworld this week is something new for Masterton duo Isaac Foote and Neil Van Wijk.
It is the first time both swimmers have competed at national level and, remarkably, comes in what is only their second season of competitive swimming under the guidance of coaches, Olga Lepisova and Jiei Mikolas.
Foote has only learned to swim butterfly in the last two years and it speaks volumes for his potential that he has already qualified to contest the gruelling 200m fly at these championships. Van Wijk, for his part, is already a Wairarapa record holder in breaststroke.
Both Foote and Van Wijk have qualified in five events, plus they are allowed to take part in an additional event too.
They have very different talents with with Foote concentrating on middle and long distance freestyle races and Van Wijk having success in breaststroke and sprints.
Considering the briefness of their competitive careers they have earned some very good seedings and look capable of making the finals in their specialist events, at least.
While in Hamilton, Foote and Van Wijk will be attached to the very successful West Auckland Aquatics Club whose head coach is Donna Bouzaid, a former Masterton Swimming Club member and now one of the country's top coaches.
West Auckland Aquatics were recently the top club at the national junior champs and are hoping to achieve the same result at the age groups.