Swimming: Countdown to Athens begins

By TERRY MADDAFORD

New Zealand's best swimmers will have a two-fold mission when they return to the pool for some top-flight competition in this week's Auckland championships at the Waitakere Aquatic Centre.

For Alison Fitch, Hannah McLean and Helen Norfolk, it is the chance to shrug off the disappointment of missing an early ticket to next year's Olympics.

Otago's Liz van Welie was the fourth member of the team who missed out on a spot in the 4x200m freestyle relay.

These championships, which start tomorrow night and continue until Monday, will be the start of an Olympic campaign for top male swimmers and hopefuls such as Melissa Ingram, who just missed the chance to compete at this year's world championships.

To qualify for the Games, the swimmers must better their target times at the national championships, which will be held in the same pool from March 31-April 4.

For others, including Scott Talbot-Cameron - another to miss out on the world championships - the meet is an opportunity to gauge their pre-Christmas form.

Wellington's Toni Jeffs, 35, goes into the 50m freestyle as the top-ranked swimmer, despite being twice the age of rivals including Natsumi Misuochi, 17, one of a number of talented Japanese who will contest a variety of events at the championships.

Dean Kent, New Zealand's top individual medley Olympic hope, will contest the 200m and 400m medleys as well as the 200m backstroke (against Cameron Gibson and Anthony Van Der Kraay) and 200m breaststroke (against Kieran Daly and Glenn Snyders).

The women's 100m freestyle, on Saturday night, should be a highlight.

Fitch is up against two Japanese swimmers who have entry times within 0.18s of her 56.12s.

More than 350 swimmers will contest the championships. The heats will be swum from 9am each day.