The New Zealand Paralympics Swim Team recently attended the 2011 Pan Pacific Para-Swimming Championships held at the Kinsman Swimming Pool, Edmonton, on 10th – 14th August 2011.

This event is the New Zealand athletes’ pinnacle event for 2011 and represents a significant step in the journey to qualification and selection for London 2012. A nine strong team attended and for several athletes this was their first international competition. It provided excellent competition for them.

Sophie Pascoe and her coach Roly Crichton (Christchurch) had visited Flagstaff, Arizona for some high altitude training prior to the competition and this proved to be a very valuable experience. Sophie cleaned up the competition with 4 Gold and 2 silver medals.

We also had two visually impaired swimmers on the team Mary Fisher (Wellington) Aine Kelly-Costello (now Auckland, Aine resided in Canada until she was 8) which provided a different experience for the team. I was involved in “tapping” the blind swimmers during our pre tour training camps and it is a very responsible role, it involves tapping the swimmers with a long tapper (like a tennis ball on the end of a fishing rod), you lean over the side of the pool, reach out with the tapper as far as you can and tap them on the head so they know they are near the end of the pool and can complete their tumble turn.  It is quite a skill to do this at the right time and the right place so the swimmer turns at the right distance from the wall. Mary won a silver and bronze medal, Aine 3 silver and 1 gold.

Our youngest swimmer 12yr old Nikita Howarth (Cambridge) picked up a silver and bronze medal at her first international competition. Nikita really stepped up and got a taste of the success that is going to come her way in the future. She is a gutsy girl not afraid to take on the competition.

Cameron Leslie (Auckland ex Whangerei) won gold in 150m Individual Medley and silver in 50 back.

Our other medal winners were Rebecca Dubber, Daniel Sharp, Daniel Holt, and Bryall McPherson (all Auckland).

The NZ swimmers won a total of 24 medals and Sophie broke 2 world records and won female swimmer of the day twice and also female swimmer of the meet which was a real honour. An Australian won male swimmer of the meet so it was a real ANZAC effort on the podium!!

It was an interesting experience driving the swimmers to the pool on the wrong side of the road every day!! After doing this for two weeks, driving won’t be the same when I’m back in Dunedin!!

The athletes have really been enjoying the warm weather and I’m not looking forward to heading back to the snow they currently have in Dunedin.

There was not a lot of down time but the team did spend a few hours at the West Edmonton Mall, which the swimmers really enjoyed!!  It’s a massive place!! Quite a few tried the roller coaster, man its fast, breathtaking just watching!!

The swimmers will now be looking forward to the qualifying meet which is the British Disability Champs to be held in Sheffield in March 2012 in preparation for the Paralympics Games, London 2012. The swim team pre meet base for London will be in Swansea, Wales.

By: Esther Price, Team Manager