Van Wijk exceeds own expectations

Chanel College third former Neil Van Wijk was optimistic of making the finals but winning two gold medals was above even his own expectations at the national age group swimming championships at Te Rapa, near Hamilton, last week.
Van Wijk, 13, took the honours in both the boys 100m breaststroke and 200m breaststroke events in the 13yrs and under section and says those successes were set up by an earlier fourth placing in the final of the 50m breaststroke.
In just his second season of competitive swimming it was Van Wijk's first experience of competing at national level and he concedes he under-performed in the 50m final because of an attack of nerves. "I panicked a bit and I didn't do as well as I should have," he said.
Come the 100m and 200m breaststroke finals though and Van Wijk's demeanour was much calmer and it showed in his results. "I wasn't really worried at all then, I just went out there determined to do my best and see what happened," he said. Breaststroke can be a difficult stroke to master but Van Wijk was encouraged to try his luck there when he enrolled with Swimstation and was told he was a "natural" in that discipline. Now under the tutorship of Masterton Swimming Club coach Jiri Mikolas, he puts his rapid development down to "really hard work" which sees him undertaking training sessions on a daily basis.
"I guess it's pretty much been non-stop training for 15 months now, it's tough going but you have to do it to get to the top," he said.
Among Van Wijk's longer term ambitions are to represent his country at something like a Commonwealth Games but for the present he is still coming to terms with his age group titles.
"It was an awesome feeling just being there...and winning, well that made it even better," he said.