Swimming: Three NZers through to semifinals at world champs

Three more New Zealand swimmers are through to the semifinals after qualifying this morning in heats at the world championships in Montreal.

Liz Coster broke her second New Zealand record at the championships, this time claiming the 50m butterfly record in the heats of the women's 50m butterfly. She qualified fifth for the semifinal.

Coster will be joined by fellow North Shore swimmers Hannah McLean and Moss Burmester.

McLean has a chance of her fourth final in Montreal after qualifying in the 200m backstroke while Burmester produced a personal best to qualify in the 100m butterfly. All three will swim late this morning (NZ time).

Coster, who broke the 50m backstroke record in the heats, later eclipsed by McLean, showed her versatility and outstanding form with her swim in the 50m butterfly. She clocked 27.01 seconds to qualify fifth fastest, 0.3sec inside the New Zealand record set by Nichola Chellingworth at the national championships.

The 23-year-old convincingly won the sixth heat, and was the only swimmer from that heat to qualify for the semifinals, headed by Olympic backstroke champion Natalie Coughlin (USA) in 26.50sec.

Burmester, who narrowly missed making the finals of his favoured 200m butterfly after a personal best, continued his strong form in the heats of the 100m. He clocked 53.42 to qualify 15th, bettering his previous best after finishing fifth in his heat.

McLean was the ninth fastest qualifier in the 200m backstroke, finishing third in her heat in 2:13.59, just outside her best but well positioned for a crack at her fourth final at the championships.

Teammate Melissa Ingram just missed qualifying, clocking the 21st best time in 2:16.48.

Corney Swanepoel disappointed, missing qualifying in the 100m butterfly as he did in the 50m. Despite some superb form in the lead-up to the championship, the New Zealand record holder was below his best, missing out on the semifinals by 0.19 of a second.

North Shore's Cameron Gibson produced a personal best of 23.58s to finish 41st in the heats of the 50m freestyle.

The championships finish on Monday (NZ time).

- NZPA