FINA World Swimming Championships - NZ Heats Day 8

New Zealand’s campaign has come to an end at the 2013 FINA World Swimming Championships in Barcelona.

None of the Kiwi swimmers in the final morning’s action qualified for the evening finals, with the closest coming with the men’s 4x100m medley relay, who were 14th fastest.

Backstroker Gareth Kean gave them a solid start in 54.08, the third fastest of all heats, before a stunning breaststroke leg by Glenn Snyders pushed the Kiwis to the lead in the final heat over USA and Australia. He clocked an outstanding 59.19s, fastest of all breaststrokers.

Debutante Shaun Burnett, a specialist over the longer distance butterfly, managed 55.20 while Matthew Stanley clocked a solid 49.23 final leg for 3:37.70, which was three seconds outside the eighth and last qualifier for the final.

With a weather-eye on the Commonwealth Games next year, only Australia qualified from Commonwealth countries.

Tauranga’s Nathan Capp had a long wait for his World Championship debut, clocking 4:23.27, a fraction outside his best, to be 22nd fastest in heats of the 400m individual medley.

Wellington freestyle specialist Samantha Lucie-Smith was 23rd fastest in the women’s 400m individual medley in 4:49.73, which was an improvement on her personal best.