Old training partner’s exit smooths way for Forbes

Press, 13 December 1989, Page 52

Old training partner’s exit smooths way for Forbes

By

KEVIN TUTTY

The unexpected exit of Anthony Beks from the New Zealand Commonwealth Games swimming team has ironically improved the chances of selection of his former training companion, Grant Forbes.

Forbes, who represented New Zealand at the Brisbane (1982) and Edinburgh (1986) Commonwealth Games, will be chasing selection for his third Games this week at the New Zealand championships at the West Auckland Aquatic centre, the venue for the Games swimming.

Forbes has his hardest work ahead of him. To ensure himself of a place he will have to finish on the heels of, or ahead of, Richard Lockhart (Auckland) who has already been chosen, in the Games team.

Forbes, aged 25, is focusing all his attention on the 100 m breaststroke. The 200 m has never been his strong event and his training has been centred on a fast 100 m time. Forbes thrust himself back into the fray with his usual gusto in April this year. He had retired in 1987, but last year had to return to a training schedule for a Royal LifeSaving Society competition in Christchurch.

That gave him a taste for competition again and he competed with some success at the 1988 national winter championships. He had an easy summer, but in April decided on one last bid at the Commonwealth Games. In the last six weeks he has been working only part time and training nine of 10 sessions a week, more training than

he has ever done before.

In September he swam within a second of his personal best when he recorded Imin 6.7 s at the Wharenui Winter Olympics, that was after recording Imin 7.3 s two weeks earlier at the winter nationals in Wellington.

Forbes’ best time is Imin 5.8 s and he believes he will have to better that to gain a place in the Games team.

He would like to secure a place in the medley relay team — a place that was previously firmly in Beks’ grasp. Forbes hopes that by focusing all his attention on the one race he will produce a good time. “In the past I have been a bit hit and miss with my racing, but I would like to think I’m doing all the right things this time.”

Forbes will be one of a number of swimmers chasing places in the Games team at the national championships

which start today.

Seventeen swimmers have been chosen for the Games. Those swimmers will be competing this week, but are not expected to return fast times. All of them are in heavy training in their Games build-up. Those on the fringe of selection cannot afford that luxury and will have to sharpen their sprinting to give themselves a chance of achieving qualifying times.

With the second-tier swimmers striving harder there is the prospect some of those already chosen might be beaten.

There will be some furious battles for those remaining team places. There are around 30 swimmers seeking about 20 positions.

In the women’s backstroke events it will require an outstanding performance for anyone to force their way into the team. Anna Simcic, Monique Rodahl and Sharon Musson are already selected, and it will need a Commonwealth ranking performance for any other swimmer to squeeze into the team. The men’s and women’s freestyle and butterfly sprints promise the closest racing. John Steel and Michelle Burke are assured of places in' the 100 m freestyle at the Games, but there is a group of six capable of securing the remaining two places in the men’s race, including Canterbury’s Andrew Hamilton.

There are 61 entries in the men’s 100 m freestyle and 24 of those have seeding times under 565,

an indication that at last New Zealand is starting to produce sprint freestylers.

Twelve swimmers in the men’s 100 m butterfly have times under 595, assuring that the final will be an intriguing race. Ross Anderson, a finalist in the 200 m butterfly at the Edinburgh Games, has not entered that event. He will throw all his efforts into the freestyle sprints, the 100 m butterfly, and the 200 m medley. Paul Kingsman and Peter Doig have secured Games places in the men’s backstroke, but there are two accomplished swimmers vying for the remaining place. Kirk Torrance, a member of the Edinburgh Games team, has a strong challenger, Simon Percy, an 18-year-old from Wellington. Tim Bowen and Michael Fairweather will add to the challenge in the 200 m backstroke.

Sharon Hanley (Otago) is entered in seven events, but might scratch

from one or two to giv'e herself a more realistic chance of qualifying. In all those events she is within striking distance Of selection.

Fiona Ross, from the Wharenui club, will be striving to join her elder sister, Michaela, in the Games team. She is on the verge of selection in the breaststroke events. Toni Jeffs, a 21-year-old freestyle sprinter, has made good progress since she moved to Wellington to further her career. She is now swimming consistently under the minute for 100 m and should join Burke as a sprint freestyler.

The Wharenui club has always enjoyed a reputation for producing leading 400 m medley swimmers, and this year is no exception. Seven of the top nine seedings in the women’s event are from the club, and it should make a clean sweep of the medals. The top two seedings, Linda Robinson and Nichola West, are already members of the Games team.