Top N.Z. swimming prospects take rest

Press, 24 September 1988, Page 29

Top N.Z. swimming prospects take rest

PA Seoul The top New Zealand swimmers, Paul Kingsman and Anthony Mosse, relaxed with parents on the eve of their respective 100 m backstroke and 200 m butterfly competitions. There was no sign of either swimmer at the Olympic pool yesterday as breastrokers Richard Lockhart (thirty-sixth — 2min 24.525) and Anthony Beks (forty-second — 2min 27.65) failed to qualify for the 200 m final. The coach, Ross Anderson, said Kingsman and Mosse were under orders to conserve energy hence their absence from the pool. The two New Zealand prospects were quietly motivating themselves with parents yesterday — Kingsman with his father and Mosse with his mother. Mosse, who Mr Anderson rates as an “absolute certainty” to make the 200 m butterfly final this evening, said his recently deceased father was also

very much with him in spirit. Kingsman had a rest day yesterday taking in the sights with his father and celebrating the bronze medal victory.

Mosse will swim his heat before Kingsman at about 12.30 p.m. New Zealand time today. While Mr Anderson is adamant the two will make their finals, he takes a dim view of being

asked whether Mosse will be able to repeat Kingsman’s medal winning performance. “It’s not a case of Anthony doing a Kingsman — it’s a case of Anthony setting out to do what he knows he can do.”

The top swimmers going into the 200 m butterfly are the world record holder, Michael “The Albatross” Gross (imin 56.485), the brash 19-year-old American Melvin Stewart (best time Imin 57.89), the Canadian Tom Ponting (Imin 58.145) and Denmark’s Benny Nielsen (Imin 58.755).

While Mosse had swum two Imin 59s 200 m butterfly’s races this year he swam a Imin 57s at the ( Commonwealth Games two years ago. Mr Anderson believes Mosse’s 56.43 s 100 m swims earlier this week show he is back to his best 1986 200 m form. The 100 m backstroke final promises to be a fascinating event.