Swimming: Burmester's personal glory

By EUGENE BINGHAM in Athens

Beneath and alongside the stars of Athens, New Zealander Moss Burmester swam a personal best at the Olympics, but already plans to do better.

Burmester, from Tauranga, competed in the semifinals yesterday with team-mate Helen Norfolk.

Burmester finished with the 12th fastest time in the 200m butterfly, lowering his best time to 1m 58.09s.

He had planned to dip under 1m 57s to move closer to the two other fastest New Zealand butterfly swimmers, Anthony Mosse and Danyon Loader.

"I had hoped to make the final, but I needed to go a little bit quicker."

His semifinal was held just after what has been described as swimming's race of the century, the 200m freestyle featuring Ian Thorpe and Michael Phelps.

Phelps, who finished with bronze, lined up in Burmester's race, too, and qualified for the final in 1m 55.65s.

Burmester said he watched the 200m freestyle on the screen by the warm-up pool.


Norfolk was 16th of the semifinalists in the 200m individual medley, clocking 2m 17.41s, slightly slower than she did in her heat.

"I thought I could go out there and break the national record, but I missed it again. I'm a little bit unhappy.

"I was really determined to make it after missing out on the 400m [individual medley]."

Norfolk was ninth fastest in that event, missing out on the final by just one place.

Both swimmers have more events at the Games, with Burmester contesting the 1500m freestyle and Norfolk starting in the relays.

Long-course record

New Zealand's three fastest 200m butterflyers

Anthony Mosse (1986) 1m 57.27s

Danyon Loader (1992) 1m 57.87s

Moss Burmester (2004) 1m 58.09s