KEY POINTS:
BEIJING - Tears flowed at the Beijing Water Cube last night as Dean Kent and Helen Norfolk swam their last races for New Zealand, each ending careers that spanned three Olympic Games.
Medley specialist Kent, 30, will swim his last race in New Zealand, at the short course championships in December, giving his many friends in the sport a chance to properly farewell him.
Norfolk, 27, quit last night in tears as she pulled off her New Zealand cap for the last time, ending an international career that started at the Pan Pacific championships in 1997.
"It's an emotional moment because swimming has been my life," she said.
It had seemed Norfolk has signed off in style when the 4 x 200m relay team she led off in the heats cracked eight minutes, swimming seven seconds under the New Zealand record.
But her delight and that of Lauren Boyle, Hayley Palmer and Natasha Hind turned to disbelief; officials ruled Hind left the blocks .01sec early on the anchor leg and they were disqualified.
Nor did the personable Kent sign out in the style to which swim fans have become accustomed. In the past, big meets have meant personal bests and New Zealand records for the 2006 Commonwealth Games silver medalist.
A big meet swimmer, Kent was known for turning it on when it mattered. Last night he did not, struggling home 21st in the 200m individual medley, nearly a second outside his New Zealand record.
Kent swam two minutes 1.12sec. Winner of the heat American Ryan Lochte was the fastest qualifier for the semifinals, in 1min 58.15sec.
Kent first swam for New Zealand in the 1999 world short course championships, and made world championship and short course finals in the 200m individual medley.
Coach Jan Cameron said it had been an emotional evening for her.
"I gave them both a big hug, got a bit teary," she said.
"Dean is like a son to me, it's a passing of the baton to the next people, the end of an era.
"They've give great service to New Zealand for many years. They led the way and helped others...I'm particularly proud of both of them."
While Kent had hoped for a better swim in his final fanfare, Cameron was delighted with the effort of the relay team.
Had their time stood, they would have been 12th. Boyle, Palmer and Hind all broke 2 minutes, as it appeared they had sealed sixth in their heat.
Hind had no cause to be disappointed, even though she was distraught, Cameron said.
"She is pretty upset, but there's no gain in blame. They swam their hearts out, got a national record, and a seven-second PB. They have to recognise they have done their job.
"Those girls would have broken the New Zealand record by seven seconds, that's bloody fantastic. To go 7min 57s, that's huge, we now know what that team can do."
- NZPA
