Swimming: Van Welie taking on tough Aussie visitors

Commonwealth Games silver medallist Liz van Welie will have to overcome some tough Australian competition at the New Zealand winter championships, starting today in Hamilton.

Despite a heavy schedule at the Commonwealth Games and Pan Pacific Games, van Welie will compete in 10 events during the five-day meet at the Te Rapa pool.

The New South Wales team will provide some stern competition, as will an elite age-group team from Swimming Australia.

North Shore's Dean Kent will attempt to emulate his world short course championships exploits in April, when his fourth placing in the 400m individual medley proved his international class. He is ranked top in four of his six events, but one of the other two, the 200m butterfly, could prove to be a meet highlight. Michael Higgins, of New South Wales, tops the list with a best time of 1m 59.62s, ahead of Tauranga's Moss Burmester, the third New Zealander to dip under the 2m barrier for the event in Manchester.

Burmester is ranked ahead of Kent, who is followed by Cromwell's Andrew McMillan. Less than 1s separates the quartet.

Alison Fitch, formerly of Waikato, has regained top form since joining the powerful North Shore squad. Her best 100m freestyle time of 55.99s at the Pan-Pacific championships in Japan last month, makes her the first New Zealander to go under the 56s barrier.NZPA

Fitch's best 100m freestyle time of 55.99sec makes her the first New Zealander to go under the 56sec barrier. nte

New Zealand's other Manchester medallist, Toni Jeffs, will attend the championships but will not compete, choosing instead to take a break in order to recharge her batteries in preparation for next year's world championships in Spain.

- NZPA