Swimming: Second chance to make a splash

Five swimmers who came close to qualifying for the New Zealand Commonwealth Games team will get their chance a few days later in the world short course championships squad.

Apart from Daniel Sharp, who will contest events for swimmers with a disability at the Commonwealth Games, the entire Games squad has also been selected for the championships in Shanghai.

Those swimmers, including backstroke specialist Scott Talbot-Cameron who had hinted he would retire after the Games, will return to Auckland briefly before heading to China for the April 5-9 championships.

The Melbourne-bound squad will be joined at the world short-course championships by Manawatu teenager Cara Baker, Auckland and North Shore freestyle swimmers Daniel Ryan and Robert Voss, and backstrokers Lewis Williams and Kelly Bentley.

They are then expected to fly to Christchurch from Shanghai to contest the national youth and open championships, starting on April 12.

For the Commonwealth Games swimmers it will mean switching from long course to short course and back in three back-to-back meetings.

"It will be a very busy time for our top swimmers ... obviously the focus is on the Commonwealth Games," said national director of coaching/selector Clive Rushton.

"They will then ... attempt to hold that peak through to Shanghai. Hopefully they can then return to Christchurch for the open championships with some outstanding performances behind them."

SHORT COURSE

World short course championships, Shanghai, April 5-9

Team: Cara Baker (Manawatu), Annabelle Carey, Zoe Baker, Georgina Toomey (Christchurch), Daniel Ryan, Lewis Williams (Auckland), Andrew McMillan (Dunedin), Kelly Bentley (Wellington), Lauren Boyle, Alison Fitch, Cameron Gibson, Corney Swanepoel, Dean Kent, Moss Burmester, Liz Coster, Glenn Snyders, Hannah McLean, Helen Norfolk, Melissa Ingram, Nichola Chellingworth, Robert Voss, Scott Talbot-Cameron (North Shore). Coaches: Jan Cameron, Thomas Ansorg, Gary Hurring, Trevor Nichols.