The National Gold & Silver, Bronze and Target24 Camps

Swimming New Zealand had three 2019-2020 National Development Squad camps held in Auckland last week:


The National Gold & Silver Squad Camp - 21st to 23rd January 2020

The National Bronze Development Squad Camp - 24th to 26th January 2020

The National Targeted 2024 Camp - 24th to 26th January 2020





Newly employed Development Athlete & Coach Manager, Alastair Johnson jumped straight into his role leading the coaches involved in each of the camps.

The two-day camps focused on not only skills in the pool, but also high performance behaviours. The aim was to provide beneficial information to each swimmer of which they can take home and implement into their daily program. This could be nutrition, goal setting, mind set tips, or more swimming specific, technique direction. Swimming New Zealand work with the club coaches to ensure that the swimmers receive consistent and clear information from their home coaches as well as from the National Body.

The Targeted Athlete and Coach Manager, Gary Francis ran the Targeted 2024 camp alongside Alastair and the Bronze squad over the weekend. Gary has worked with the athletes and their coaches throughout the year to ensure they are able to train, develop as swimmers and as people, then to perform at their very best when it counts. High Performance Sport NZ specialist service providers support Gary with the camp carrying out activities such as Video Analysis and feedback, mental skills and body composition.



Gary Francis commented on the camps, "The four camps over the past two weeks have been great opportunities for myself and Alastair to observe the progress that the athletes have made over the last year. The signs are very encouraging with much-improved performance behaviours, great attitudes and a very high work ethic displayed by all the young athletes."

He then carries on saying, "2020 is obviously a big year, but the camps are another example to us, that we need to keep thinking ahead to the next two Olympic cycles, 2024 and 2028, and build on the potential that we have seen in the Bronze, Silver, Gold and Target 24 squads."

For more information on the Athlete Pathways (National Development Squads and the Targeted Athlete Program) please either visit the High Performance section on our website or get in touch with High Performance Operations Manager Amanda White here.