The New Zealand Olympic Committee today said one of their men's relay
swim teams has made it to the Beijing Olympics.
The team of Cameron Gibson, William Benson, Mark Herring and Orinoco
Faamausili-Banse officially qualified for the men's 4x100mfreestyle relay today.
They have been confirmed by the world body FINA as one of the four fastest
counties to fill the remaining four places in the 16-strong relay for Beijing
when the qualifying period finished yesterday.
The 12 fastest nations from the world championships automatically qualified
for Beijing with the four fastest non-qualifiers until June 30 making up the
remaining places.
The New Zealand quartet produced a New Zealand record of 3:17.45 at the
Olympic trials with Russia, the Netherlands and China. The New Zealanders were
nearly one second faster than the next fastest Croatia to be 16th overall.
The 12 countries automatically through to Beijing are world champions the
United States, Italy, France, South Africa, Australia, Sweden, Canada, Brazil,
Britain, Germany, Switzerland and Japan.
This brings the New Zealand swim team in the Olympic pool to 15with seven
swimmers in individual events along with the women's 4x200m freestyle relay and
men's 4x100m freestyle and medley relays.