Swimming: Backstroker benefits from a transtasman gene pool

When New Zealand backstroker Scott Talbot-Cameron competes his father will take a break from one of world swimming's most pressured jobs to watch proudly.

Talbot-Cameron, 19, is the son of Australian head coach Don Talbot, whose team of superstars face immense public expectations.

Talbot has two swimmers in the 200m backstroke, but said that would not prevent him from taking a close look at Talbot-Cameron's heat.

"Wherever he swims, he's my son," he said. "I'll be looking at him, and hope that he does well."

Talbot was married to Jan Cameron for 17 years until they separated in 1989. The pair are on good terms. Talbot sees their son a couple of times a year, and phones regularly.

Cameron, a 1964 Olympic 4x100m freestyle silver medallist for Australia, is assistant coach of the New Zealand team.

Talbot-Cameron has improved since he swam his best time (2m 1.44s) at the Pan Pacific Championships last year, where he made the final.

While his times were outside the world top 10 - headed by American Aaron Peirsol's 1m 57.04s - Talbot regarded him as a finals prospect, at least.

"He's going quite well," he said.

"Just what he's going to do I don't know - he's running into some pretty tough competition here.

"If he can get in the finals he'll be doing a very good job, and if he gets in the final, who knows?"

Talbot did not feel his son would be better off if he took advantage of his heritage to join the better-funded Australian programme, which has turned out stars such as Ian Thorpe, Kieren Perkins, Michael Klim and Susie O'Neill.

"I think that's overplayed a bit. You've had some pretty darned good swimmers come out of your country, so I don't feel too much remorse about that," he said.

"A lot depends on the ability to swim. Certainly the resources here are better - that can give some advantage.

"It doesn't guarantee anything, though it probably increases the probability of [top-class] performances coming."

New Zealand looked after their top swimmers very well, he said.

"Every swimmer I've ever spoken to could do with more help, though."

Talbot-Cameron would be wise to seek out top-level competition, whether in Australia or the United States, if he continued in the sport, his father said.

He has attended club training camps in Australia, something dual Olympic gold medallist Danyon Loader used to do.

Talbot said his former wife was doing a good job as coach.



Cameron has applied for the job of Australian national development coach, and if she gets the job - the second-most important in Australian swimming - it could lead to her replacing Talbot when he leaves.

Talbot is contracted to April 2001. He will probably have his term extended to the 2002 Commonwealth Games.

- NZPA