Radford waits on Rio nomination

Kane Radford in action in last year's open water championships in Taupo. PHOTO/BW Media

Rotorua swimmer Kane Radford has a nervous wait to find out if he will be competing in the Rio Olympics.

Swimming New Zealand selectors say they will consider the cases of open water swimmers Radford and Charlotte Webby (New Plymouth) for nomination to the New Zealand Olympic Committee for the Rio Olympics.

The New Zealand Open Water champions finished 19th and 31st respectively at the FINA Marathon Swimming Olympic final qualifying event in Portugal at the weekend.

There are 25 places available for the men's and women's fields for Rio, based on one swimmer per country. The top 10 finishers at last year's World Championships qualified directly.

A further 10 places were available, based on one per country of nations not already qualified, at the 10km races in Setubal at the weekend.

There were also five invitation places available to the next highest placed swimmer of nations not already qualified from each of the five Continental Regions of Europe, Africa, North America, Asia and Oceania.

With Australia already qualified, New Zealand was offered a place as the next highest placed nation from Oceania - as Radford and Webby did not qualify directly as one of the top 10 finishers.

The selection policy of Swimming New Zealand and the New Zealand Olympic Committee criteria is that a swimmer needs to show evidence of an ability to finish in the top 16, with a potential for a top eight placing in Rio.

If Swimming New Zealand selectors determine Radford and Webby meet the over-riding criteria, they will then nominate with supporting evidence to the New Zealand Olympic Committee selectors by Friday.