Swimming: Relay knockout hits Olympic chances

New Zealand's Olympic dream was dealt a shattering blow when the women's relay quartet were disqualified at the world championships in Barcelona.

After finishing a strong fourth in a fast heat of the 4x200m freestyle relay, New Zealand looked to have achieved a top-12 place at Barcelona. This would have cemented an automatic place in the Athens Olympics next year.

But their celebrations turned to dismay when they were disqualified because third swimmer Hannah McLean was judged to have jumped the start.

The electronic timing registered McLean as breaking before Helen Norfolk touched the pad, by 0.06s. The allowable margin is 0.03s.

The quartet of Alison Fitch, Norfolk, McLean and Liz van Welie recorded a superb 8m 08.52s in the second of three heats.

It was more than five seconds inside Auckland's national record set this year, and well inside the previous best by a New Zealand relay team of 8m 14.98s at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics.

"The team is absolutely gutted, and Hannah is taking it very badly," national director of coaching Clive Rushton said. "They produced such a great swim."

Rushton handed out special plaudits to Fitch, who got out of her sick bed to take the lead-off swim.

"A 2m 02s in her condition was magnificent, and Helen Norfolk was really on fire."

Rushton believes New Zealand will get a relay team to Athens, but will have to produce one of the four next-best relay times in the world.

"We will just have to do it the hard way. With Alison Fitch fit, they could go 8m 05s and look at a place in the finals at Athens."

Fitch withdrew from her key 100m freestyle to concentrate on the relay, leading off with a solid 2m 02.05s and third place.

Norfolk was the star, swimming a magnificent 2m 00.49s from the flying start to move New Zealand into the lead midway through the race, ahead of Australia and world champs, China.

North Shore backstroker McLean produced a strong 2m 02.24s, but the New Zealanders slipped to third behind Sweden and China.

Medley swimmer van Welie brought them home with a 2m 03.74s, the Australians edging ahead on the final 100m.

Four teams - Spain, the United States, Britain and Netherlands - swam faster in the final heat, with the New Zealanders producing the eighth-fastest time until the officials handed down their gut-wrenching ruling.

It proved a night of disappointments for New Zealand, with Dean Kent unable to replicate his short-course form in the long-course arena in the 200m individual medley.

- NZPA