Swimming: Kent sets NZ record but misses semis

Paul Kent set the fourth New Zealand record of the Sydney Games, and his second, when he won his 200m individual medley heat on Wednesday.

Kent, 21, swimming in his back up event to the 400m individual medley, broke his own New Zealand record, with a time of 2min 4.07secs.

But it was not enough to take him through to Wednesday night's semifinals.

Third after the opening butterfly leg, then second after the backstroke and breaststroke, Kent took over in the 50m freestyle dash to the wall.

With three stronger heats to follow his, Kent faced a wait to see if he had done enough to make the semifinals.

His prospects plunged when all eight swimmers in the next heat bettered his time.

Kent finished 23rd, four places higher than his Olympic ranking. He needed to have swum .74sec faster to make the semifinals.

- NZPA