Samantha Lee positive of a good show at Open Championships

New Zealand international Samantha Lee hopes a switch to train in Queensland with top Aussie coach Michael Bohl will pay dividends at the 2015 New Zealand Open Championships in Auckland next week.

Lee, a 2014 Commonwealth Games representative, moved to Brisbane as part of Bohl's medal-laden swim group and the butterfly specialist is thriving in the world-class environment.

“It’s going really well so far, it took me a while to get used to training outside all the time and I’m still getting used to the heat, but I’m enjoying it a lot and everyone is super friendly which makes moving away from home easier,” says Wellington-born Lee.

“The quality of the swimmers in my squad is unreal, almost everyone has won an Olympic, Commonwealth Games or World Championship medal,” explains Lee of the group which includes world and Olympic champion Bronte Barratt and Commonwealth champions Ned McKendry and Mitch Larkin.

“It is definitely challenging and more intense than what I experienced back home, but it’s awesome to be training with a group that is so positive and motivated, with such a passionate coach.”

Lee who competed at the 2013 World Championships in Barcelona and reached the semifinals in the 100m and 200m butterfly at the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow is under no illusions about the size of the task of qualifying for the 2015 World Championships to be held in Kazan in July-August.

The A standard qualification marks for the 100m and 200m butterfly are 59.18 and 2:11.14 for the 100m and 200m butterfly, quicker than her lifetime best performances of 59.52 and 2:11.79 for the respective distances.

Yet the 22-year-old is optimistic of a good show at Westwave Aquatic Centre, where she hopes to retain her national titles from last year.

“There is always an adjustment period when you move to a new squad, but I’m feeling well prepared,” she explains. “I’ve been doing a lot of challenging sets and hitting times that I haven’t done before, so fingers crossed it pays off and everything comes together for Trials.”

Lee, however, has goals beyond performing with distinction on the domestic scene and hopes 2015 will act as a springboard to her ambitions to perform well on the world stage at the Rio Olympics.

“Racing in New Zealand is one thing, but racing against all the best swimmers in the world is a huge eye opener, as I experienced in 2013 at my first open international meet and the perfect motivation to drive you into next year’s trials to qualify for the Rio Olympics.”

Samantha Lee – Fact Box

Samantha Lee is a world record holder for the 100m rescue medley in the sport of surf lifesaving.