Main misses out in backstroke semifinals

Howick Pakuranga swimmer Corey Main has missed out on a place in the finals on day five of the FINA World Championships in Kazan, Russia.

The Florida University student, who was a finalist at Commonwealth Games and the Pan Pacific Championships last year, finished eighth in his semifinal.

Main, in his first world championships, decided on an aggressive approach to his semifinal as he dashed strongly to be fourth at the 50m turn.

However he was unable to sustain that effort, finishing eighth in 1:59.50.

Earlier in the day he clocked an excellent 1:58:22 in his heat of the 200m backstroke to finish 14^th fastest to earn a spot on the evening programme.

Main started conservatively, outside the fastest 20 swimmers through the 100m, but was among just 10 swimmers who went under the one minute mark for his second 100m and only 0.5s outside his personal best.

Meanwhile victory in his heat was not enough to earn Glenn Synders a place in the semifinals of the 200m breaststroke.

He joined star sprinters Adam Peaty and Cameron van der Burgh, who also did not advance in the 200m event.

Snyders won his heat in a respectable 2:12.71 to be 23^rd fastest, 1.6s off the final qualifying mark with German Marco Koch leading qualifiers in 2:09.12.

Tomorrow four New Zealand swimmers are in action. Fifteen-year-old Bobbi Gichard will contest her favoured 200m backstroke; Waikato’s Bradlee Ashby competes in the 100m butterfly while Lauren Boyle and Emma Robinson take up battle in heats of the 800m freestyle.

The championships conclude on Monday NZ time.

CAPTION: Corey Main and Glenn Snyders in action. (The images are free for editorial use only. Credit: Ian MacMicol).