Swimming: Burmester to defend gold in New Delhi

Moss Burmester wins the 200m butterfly at the NZ Open Swimming Championships last night in Auckland. Photo / Richard Robinson

Commonwealth Games gold medallist Moss Burmester will defend his title at New Delhi after qualifying on the opening night of finals at the New Zealand Championship last night.

Burmester went under the Games qualifying time by half a second in winning the 200m butterfly at the West Wave Aquatic Centre in Waitakere.

He was one of three swimmers to qualify on the opening night of the championships that double as the Games trials where qualifying times must be set in the evening finals only.

US-based Lauren Boyle qualified for her second Commonwealth Games with a win in the women's 200m freestyle, and 20-year-old Natalie Wiegersma became the first Southland swimmer in 20 years to qualify after breaking her own New Zealand record in the 200m individual medley.

Burmester said he was relieved to make the grade.

"There was a fair bit of pressure I guess and for me it was about getting the job done and getting that qualifying time," Burmester said.

"I am still getting used to competing without the suit. My training times have been pretty similar but I am used to putting on the suit and stepping up - probably mentally as much as physically. I am now getting used to racing without it.

"I dropped off a bit coming home. I took a breath about five metres out so I will get a bit of a bollocking from my coach about that.

"It's pleasing and a relief to get the qualifying time. There's a lot of hard work to go. I always want to go better than I have done before so I want to go to New Delhi and defend the gold."

In other swims, North Shore's Daniel Bell won the 50m backstroke, Roskill's Danielle Koni took the 50m butterfly, QEII's Zoe Baker won the 50m breaststroke and Bell Block's Dylan Dunlop-Barrett won the 400m freestyle.

- NZPA