Paralympics: Swimmer aims for good time

By PATRICK GOWER

Auckland swimmer Dean Booth says he does not care where he comes at the Sydney Paralympics - he just wants to swim the race of his life.

What he fails to mention is that a personal best could also bring him both a gold medal and the world record.

Booth is one of New Zealand's unsung sporting heroes, and as far as he is concerned, it can stay that way.





The reigning world champion, who left for Sydney yesterday with the rest of the team, is aiming to record his best time in his first swim next week, the 400m freestyle.

The world record is 5m 2.2s. His best time is 5m 3.64s.

"My goal is to break five minutes ... and yes, that should get me into the medals and the record books."

The Titirangi 22-year-old is less reluctant when talking about cerebral palsy, the disability he has had since birth and which causes a bad limp on his left leg.

"It affects my left side - right down the middle, as if you cut my body in half - with my left leg the most affected part of my body.

"But it doesn't affect me that much - compared to other people with cerebral palsy, I am such a mild case."

Paralympians race against athletes of the same function or flexibility as themselves. Booth is graded level seven on a scale up to 10, with one being the most disabled.

While he rates the 400m his best event, he will also race in the 100m and 50m freestyle.

He is rated in the top five in the world in all three events.

Booth started swimming as a 14-year-old, taking it up seriously soon afterwards, inspired by a documentary on the 1992 Barcelona Paralympics.

"I just thought, I can do that. That is what I want to do."

Swimming has been a big part of his life since then.

He squeezes in a full-time job as a service assistant at Wormald in New Lynn between nine sessions at the pool a week, clocking up more than 45km as he works on his fitness and technique.

"I've been training hard and getting good times, but now it is time to really see what I can do."

Booth has been working with coach Dean Greenwood and the rest of his able-bodied squad since just missing out on qualifying for the 1996 Atlanta Paralympics team.

"Dean is a legend. From the first day I saw him it has been my goal to get here - and he has taken me from one step to the next."

Booth is about the same standard as a 14-year-old able-bodied swimmer, and enjoys the "great competition."

"They probably look at me and think, 'Oh my God, he's got a beard,' but that's all right."

The hard work has already paid off. He won two world championship gold medals in Christchurch two years ago, in the 400m and 100m, and also took the 100m world record.

Sydney will be Booth's first chance at Paralympic medals.

It may be his last chance as well. If he swims the way he wants to, he says he will give competition swimming away and put his energy towards a university or polytechnic qualification.

"Swimming has been a big part of my life for a long time now - it might be time to set some new goals."

But for now, his eyes are on the Olympic Aquatic Centre.

His parents, Harold and Raewyn, along with a 20-strong throng of family and friends, will be there to see him.

Far from being overwhelmed at the thought of lining up to race in front of 10,000 people, Booth cannot wait for the buzz at the pool.

"I haven't swum in front of any more than 1000 people before in my life.

"Most of the time we don't have heats or finals because there aren't enough swimmers competing."

His tactics at the Games will be simple.

"I won't mind if three or four people beat me - I want to get a personal best.

"I want to swim the race of my life."

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