Boyle shines brightly in strong Kiwi team

THE New Zealand swimming team couldn’t improve on their efforts on the final day of the world championships in Russia, a campaign that netted two silver medals and four finalists and earned the satisfaction of coach Gary Hurring.

Nathan Capp in the 400m medley and the men’s medley relay both missed out on qualifying for the finals as competition wrapped up in Kazan. Capp was 28th fastest in the 400m individual medley in 4:23.00.

The quartet of Corey Main, Glenn Snyders, Bradlee Ashby and Matt Stanley were 16th fastest in the 4x100m medley relay in 3:38.69, following a superb opening backstroke leg from Main.

Hurring, New Zealand’s first world championship medallist back in 1978, believed the championships were the deepest in numbers and performances levels in his experience.

Hurring said Lauren Boyle was the clear standout and Snyders again proved he was competitive on the world stage.

He said the championships had been a vital learning opportunity for most of the squad, who were experiencing a world championship for the first time, and would set up their preparations for a busy 12 months leading into Rio 2016 and on to the Tokyo Olympics in 2020.

The eight-strong pool team, one of the smallest in a number of years, finished with two medals (both to Boyle) with swimmers qualifying for four finals and five semifinals. This is only one less final than in 2013, where the team was bigger, and equalled the number from a larger team in Shanghai in 2011 where there were no medals earned.

There were national records to Boyle (800m and 1500m freestyle) and Capp (800m freestyle) and personal bests, with the team including three prospects for the 2020 Olympics in 15-year-old Bobbi Gichard, Ashby and Capp.