Swimming: Burmester flies to second medal and new national time

Moss Burmester's tally grows. Picture / Mark Mitchell

Moss Burmester has backed up his Commonwealth Games 200m butterfly gold by taking silver in the same event at the world short-course championships in China.

Burmester's swim, which broke Danyon Loader's 13-year-old record in the event, meant New Zealand finished the championships with two individual medals, the first time the swimmers have done so at a short course world event.

Backstroker Hannah McLean had won bronze earlier in the championships in the 200m backstroke but couldn't add to that, finishing 8th in the 50m event.

New Zealand's swimmers qualified for 17 finals and set 22 national records - another best for a world championships event.

In 2004 in Indianapolis, New Zealand won one medal and made five finals and in 2002 Dean Kent made two finals - the only swimmer to progress that far.

New Zealand had won a total of only four medals at the previous eight world short-course championships - three silvers to Trent Bray and a medley relay gold in 1995.

Burmester only just qualified for the 200m butterfly final but led at the 50m mark.

China's Peng Wu edged in front at the 100m mark and worked clear to win in a championship record of 1m 52.36s.

Burmester finished second in 1m 53.94s, 0.3s under Loader's 1993 record.

"It was a terrific swim from Moss. In Melbourne he was first up on the opening night but here he has had to keep his form up and wait for the last night," head coach Trevor Nicholls said. "He was well rested and really nailed an outstanding performance which has really capped a wonderful performance by the team."

Burmester had to run from his medal presentation to help the men's 4x100m medley relay team to seventh place and a further national record.

The quartet of Scott Talbot-Cameron, Dean Kent, Burmester and Cameron Gibson clocked 3m 35.28s to edge under the national record they set in the morning heats.

Helen Norfolk completed a satisfying meet with her second appearance in a final, finishing eighth in the 200m freestyle, lowering her personal best for the second time to 1m 59.29s.

McLean was unable to add further glitter to her dazzling world championship in the 50m backstroke final overnight but demonstrated her versatility to finish fifth in 27.76s.

Clubmate Coster finished eighth in the same final, also dipping under the national record.

Qualifying for three individual finals over the course of the championships, McLean was the best-performed of the team with a bronze medal in the 200m backstroke and fifth placings in the final of both the 50m and 100m backstroke. The 24-year-old broke seven national records in the process and anchored the women's 100m freestyle relay team in their New Zealand record swim.

"Hannah has had a great three weeks with the Commonwealth Games and the world championships," her coach, Jan Cameron, said.

"She is extremely talented to be a world-class backstroker over all the distances.

"It is a real testament to her work ethic and mental aptitude after she suffered an injury that kept her out of the New Zealand trials and hampered her build-up.

"She has moved up the world rankings. There's more improvement left in her and she could be a serious contender in Beijing."

Of the 17 finals made by members of the New Zealand team, McLean qualified in three individual events with Kent, Coster and Norfolk making two each.

Melissa Ingram, Zoe Baker and Burmester made one final each with the team qualifying for all five relays they entered.

McLean also led the way with seven national records during the meet, with Baker grabbing two, one each to Georgina Toomey, Coster and Burmester, with 10 coming in the relays .

- NZPA