Beijing Olympian Daniel Bell will be among a group of young New Zealand swimmers taking on top international talent when the Junior Pan Pacific Championships start in Guam today.
Sixteen top swimmers will compete against age-group counterparts from 14 nations including the United States, Australia, China, Canada and
Japan.
Bell is the top-ranked swimmer in his backstroke events. He has an exhaustive schedule over the four-day meet but was in top form at the national summer champs where he broke Dean Kent's individual medley record and his own backstroke mark.
Fellow West Auckland swimmer Starn Simpson and Wellington's Gareth Kean have been touted as possible final contenders, as well as former Oceania champion Kane Radford (Rotorua) in the 10km open water competition.
KIWI TEAM
Male: Daniel Bell (West Auckland Aquatics), Shaun Burnett (North Shore), Cameron Burrows (Howick Pakuranga), Mitchell Donaldson (North Shore), Dylan Dunlop-Barrett (Bell Block), Gareth Kean (Capital), Shane Patience (Waves), Kane Radford (Aquatx Rotorua), Starn Simpson (West).
Female: Elizabeth Brown (Ashburton), Chloe Francis (North Shore), Amaka Gessler (AquaGym), Samantha Lee (Capital), Samantha Lucie-Smith (Karori Pirates), Ellen Quirke (Capital), Phoebe Williams (Waves).
Coaches: Jan Cameron, Donna Bouzaid, Simon Mayne.
- NZPA
