Samantha Lee eyes Oceania Championships as chance for ‘tough racing’ on the road to Glasgow

Capital swimmer Samantha Lee is hoping to hit close to her personal best times at this month’s Mayfair Pools 2014 Oceania Championships as a step towards her ultimate goal of making finals at the Commonwealth Games and Pan Pacific Championships this year.

Lee will be competing at the Oceania Championships in Auckland from 20 to 23 May and says it will be a good chance to push herself as the team heads into their campaign for the Commonwealth Games.

At the 2010 Oceania Championships in Samoa, Lee achieved gold in the 50m butterfly and bronze in the 100m butterfly but this time around is looking at her objectives for Oceania’s a little differently as she thinks ahead towards this year’s pinnacle events.

“I'd like to try and get as close to my personal best times from Opens as I can,” Lee said.

“We won't be tapering so it will be a good chance to get some tough racing in to start our build up for this campaign.”

Last month Lee was part of a fairy tale ending to the New Zealand Open Championships as part of the 4x100m freestyle relay team that qualified for the Commonwealth Games.

The 21 year old had already qualified herself for the Commonwealth Games team earlier in the meet in the 4x200m freestyle relay but said that the “4x100m freestyle relay on the last night was the most amazing thing I've been a part of for a while.”

Since the New Zealand Open Championships Lee’s main focus in training has been on her technique.

“We've only been back in the water for two weeks so it's trying to get our feel back and now starting to build in more fast work.

“We have an amazing campaign planned in the next few months, including a three week altitude camp in June. Being able to train with the other top girls in the team will really help push me to swim faster and we can all work together towards our goals for this year.”

Lee was also one of twelve swimmers who took part in a team building session with the Royal New Zealand Navy last month as part of an orientation camp designed to help prepare the team for these events.