Swimming: NZ backstrokers grab medals in Europe meeting

Melissa Ingram led the way with medals. Photo / Kenny Rodger

New Zealand swimmers made a grand start to their European campaign in the second round of the Mare Nostrum series in Barcelona.

Backstrokers Melissa Ingram and Gareth Kean led the way with medals on the second night of the Barcelona meet, one of three in the prestigious meets that make up the grand prix series of Europe.

Despite arriving only two days before the meet, there were some strong performances by the Commonwealth Games-bound New Zealand swimmers who qualified for 12 finals.

Ingram (North Shore) led the way with second placing in the women's 200m backstroke, pipped for victory in the last 10m by world champion Jing Zhao (China). Ingram, 24, clocked 2m 10.51s, only a second outside her national record in a splendid swim.

She finished sixth in the 100m backstroke final in 1m 01.57s, with Emily Thomas going slightly faster in 1min 01.55s to win the B final.

Kean (Capital) impressed in his first major international outing at this level, finishing third in the final of the men's 100m backstroke. The 18-year-old qualified in the last spot for the final and improved to clock 55.82s for third place in the final. Teammate Daniel Bell finished third in the B final, where the first three went faster than all but the winner of the A final in Daniel Arnamnart (Australia). Bell was sixth in the 50m backstroke in 26.17s.

Southland's Natalie Wiegersma finished fourth in the 200m individual medley in a slick 2m 13.98s, just over a second outside her national record. She won the B final in the 400m individual medley on the first night.

Glenn Snyders (North Shore) was fourth in the 50m breaststroke after qualifying top in a slick 28.26s. He was also sixth in the 100m breaststroke on the first night in 1m 02.61s.

North Shore's Emily Thomas was fifth in the final of the 50m backstroke in 28.65s, only .025s outside her NZ record while US-based Lauren Boyle was sixth in the 400m freestyle in 4m 12.96s. Boyle was also eighth in the 200m freestyle where team-mate Tash Hind (Capital) was best of the New Zealanders in sixth and Penny Marshall second in the B final. Hayley Palmer (North Shore) was fifth in the final of the 50m freestyle in 25.68s, .3s outside her national record and ahead of Olympic star Dana Vollmer.

Moss Burmester missed out on the A final in the 100m and 200m butterfly against some white-hot European competition.

- NZPA