Swimming: Burmester turns in flier at the pool

8.40pm - By KEVIN NORQUAY

ATHENS - Moss Burmester has turned New Zealand fortunes in the Olympic Games pool with a cracking swim to qualify for the 200m butterfly semifinals.

Burmester, 23, led a heat containing hotshot American Michael Phelps through the 150m before finishing fifth in one minute 58.13sec.

He carved three quarters of a second from his previous best, taking a peek at the New Zealand record of 1min 57.27sec set by Anthony Mosse in 1986.

Mosse, the 1988 Olympic bronze medallist in the event, and Danyon Loader are the only New Zealanders to have swum faster.

Burmester qualified 10th fastest for the semifinals, after coming to Athens with a world ranking of 28th. Five swimmers in the heats broke 1min 58sec.

He was the first New Zealand swimmer to make it into the pressure cooker environment of an evening session at Athens.

A delighted Burmester was shocked to learn he led world record holder Phelps until the business end.

"I didn't realise that," he told NZPA.

"I had to focus on myself to make it through to the semis tonight, and try to get through to the final. I keep the focus on myself."

His aim was now to make the final and break the New Zealand record, he said.

- NZPA