Swimming: Games swimmers primed for action

New Zealand's Olympic swimming team got the thumbs-up after strong performances at the winter championships.

Olympic coach Brett Naylor was impressed with the Sydney-bound swimmers' efforts at Dunedin's Moana Pool.

"It's 21 days until we first compete in Sydney," said Naylor on Saturday. "Considering the time remaining - the swimmers have been competing short-course here and they have come out of hard training - this has been encouraging.

"Some of the squad have broken national records, and the rest have been very close to their best, especially when converted to long-course standards.

"They will recover well from the short course, and look to begin their taper to Sydney. Things are on course for this very young group of swimmers to produce their best in Sydney."

It will be the first Olympics for every member of the New Zealand team.

Their average age of under 20 includes 26-year-old Vivienne Rignall, who competed in her first major international swim meet only last year.

The Olympic squad won 19 titles between them, with Canterbury's Helen Norfolk leading the way with five gold medals and a new national record.

She was also awarded the Billie Fitzsimmons Trophy for the best performance of the year, to go with her swimmer of the year award.

Fellow Olympian Dean Kent, of North Shore, claimed two New Zealand records.

Highlights of the final session included the effort of North Shore's Jolie Workman to equal Anna Wilson's national record in the 100m individual medley.

Rignall impressed with her victory in the 50m freestyle in 25.74s, narrowly outside the national record.

- NZPA

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