Swimming: Olympic bound swimmers score wins in USA

Lauren Boyle. Photo / Paul Estcourt

New Zealand Olympic-bound swimmers Lauren Boyle and Glenn Snyders both won titles on the final day of the prestigious Santa Clara Invitational meet in California today.

Snyders set the tone when he won the 100m breaststroke in impressive fashion, after clocking a superb 1:00.87 in the heat. He was slightly slower in winning the final in 1:01.44 but beat off the challenge of four-time Olympic gold medallist Kosuke Kitajima of Japan.

The North Shore swimmer was fastest in the first 50 metres with a slick time of 28.50 and held on as the challengers, led by Kitajima, came at him coming home.

"They are the fastest two swims that Glenn has ever done while in full work, so I am pleased with his progress," Snyders' coach Mark Regan said. "I would have liked to have seen him go faster in the final, because that's something we have been working on, but it was an excellent swim and an excellent result."

Boyle was then all class in adding the 800m freestyle title to the 1500m freestyle she won on the opening day of a meet that attracted a number of America's best ahead of their Olympic trials later in the month.

The 26-year-old, also coached by Regan, produced an impressive negative split by going through the first 400m in 4:16 and coming home in the final 400m three seconds quicker.

Her winning time of 8:29.44 was a little more than two seconds outside the meet record and proved enough to comfortably hold off Venezuela's Pan American medallist Andreina Pinto.

"It was a strong meet for Lauren and I am pleased with her times today," Regan said. "In both swims - the 1500m and 800m - she finished strongly and comfortably. It is encouraging and the racing is a good litmus test of our progress.

"We don't have New Zealand swimmers winning many international swimming events over the years so that's great for them."

The pair will now join up with the rest of the Olympic squad in a training camp in Cairns this week.

Results from Santa Clara Invitational swimming meet in California today:

Men 100m breaststroke: Glenn Snyders (NZL) 1:01.44, 1; Kosuke Kitajima (JPN) 1:01.56, 2; Christopher Schurr Voight (MEX) 1:01.94, 3.

Women 800m freestyle: Lauren Boyle (NZL) 8:29.44, 1; Andreina Pinto (USA) 8:33.28, 2; Chelsea Chenault (USA) 8:37.28, 3.