Wiegersma on track for trials

SWIMMING

Logan Savory Southland swimming coach Jeremy Duncan says Natalie Wiegersma is exactly where he wants her to be six weeks out from her attempt to book a ticket to the Olympics in London in July.

Wiegersma lined up at the New South Wales championships during the weekend and picked up bronze medals in both the 200m and 400m individual medley events.

She finished outside the qualification mark in both events, but Duncan said that was expected and he was encouraged by the times that were recorded.

He said Wiegersma and fellow Southland swimmer Lisa Pankhurst – who is regarded as an outside shot to make the Olympics – were under a heavy training workload and it would not be until the Olympic trials in Auckland in April that they might be able to produce their quickest times.

‘‘They are pretty tired at the moment; they’re in the middle of a lot of work. We’re training nine times a week,’’ Duncan said.

‘‘I’ll keep flogging them in training for the next five weeks and then I’ll taper it off a week out. They will be feeling good and ready to go.’’

In the 200m individual medley final on Sunday night in Sydney, Wiegersma clocked a solid 2min 14.81sec.

The Waverley club swimmer finished close behind Pan Pacific championships gold medallist Emily Seebohm and Olympic and Commonwealth Games gold medallist Stephanie Rice.

While the 200m and 400m individual medley events have been Wiegersma’s strength, she also lined up in the 100m breaststroke at the New South Wales event and broke a Southland record in the process.

When Wiegersma lines up at the Olympic trials in April, she is likely to have a shot at qualifying in three different events, the 200m and 400m medley and also the 200m backstroke, which Duncan feels is her strongest stroke.

Pankhurst progressed to the final of the 200m freestyle, which Duncan believed would have been great experience for her. She was able to line up in the outside lanes against top level swimmers.

Youngster Lisa Catto competed in the 800m freestyle and while she missed the final she recorded a personal best.

Photo: FAIRFAX 625578975 Tough preparation: Natalie Wiegersma is copping a ‘‘flogging’’ at training as she prepares to qualify for the London Olympics.