Swimming: Jeffs: I'm shocked and angry

Toni Jeffs' Olympic dream rests on a meeting in Auckland today in which Swimming New Zealand and the Olympic Committee will thrash out the team for September's Games in Sydney.

Jeffs thought she qualified for the Olympics two months ago when she swam the 50m freestyle in 26.03s, bettering the B qualifying time in the process.

But Germany-based Kiwi Vivienne Rignall, aged 26, covered the distance in 25.92s in Sheffield, England, on Sunday. The time is a New Zealand record and faster than the A qualifying time of 25.97s.

Rignall's swim was 10 days after the New Zealand qualifying period ended but, unknown to Jeffs, because it was an "outstanding performance," the time will be considered.

Under international rules, Jeffs would qualify for the Olympics via the B standard only if no one had bettered the A standard. Two swimmers in the same event can go to the Olympics only if they better the A time.

It means Jeffs will not go to the Olympics unless she swims an A time and Swimming New Zealand and the committee agree to consider that time.

Jeffs, aged 31, said her reaction to the news that she could be out of the Games was a mixture of shock, anger and delight for Rignall, who is a good friend.

She was shocked because she had not realised Rignall could still qualify, and angry because she felt Swimming New Zealand should have told her that was the case.

"I definitely think I should have been told what was going on so I could be properly prepared."

Swimming New Zealand chief executive Catriona McBean said yesterday that any outstanding performance would be considered.

"The swim Vivienne did broke the New Zealand record and was an outstanding performance," McBean said.

While no one would say definitively what will happen with Jeffs, it seems Swimming New Zealand will ask the Olympic Committee to keep the door open for her to swim an A time in the next few months.

"Everyone is looking at the situation favourably because it is such a bizarre situation to be in," McBean said.

"We want to put a good team forward and we want as many swimmers as possible to go the Olympics."

A decision on whether swimmers can qualify for the Olympics after the team is announced next week may also affect 1996 double Olympic gold medallist Danyon Loader, and Trent Bray.

Jeffs, Loader and Bray could try to qualify at the Oceania Games in Christchurch next month, but Jeffs had been targeting the meet as a training exercise.

She is worried she may not be properly prepared for a fast swim that soon.

"I don't want to put all my cookies into one basket because it may be too soon. I want to do the swim as late as possible so I've got time to do the work."

July seemed the right month because that would also allow Jeffs time to go through another full training cycle before the Olympics in September.

In Brisbane, Australian swimming coach Don Talbot said world records set abroad would act as motivation for his Games squad.

He said the records were only a reaction to the benchmark set at the recent Australian Olympic selection trials and would serve as timely motivation for his team.

-NZPA

The Olympics – a Herald series

Official Sydney 2000 web site