SNZ satisfied with SPARC funding
Swimming NZ satisfied with SPARC funding
Swimming New Zealand is pleased with the funding support announced 17 December by SPARC that will enable them to continue with plans for the London Olympics in 2012.
SPARC today announced that Swimming New Zealand will continue to receive the current level of funding for their high performance programme.
Swimming NZ CEO Mike Byrne said that his high performance team had already spent considerable time in planning the next 18 months to London and the key was to ensure the investment supports the elite swimmers in the best ways possible.
“Our coaches and swimmers showed that they are on the right track for London with their performances at Delhi where we won six medals to match what we achieved in Melbourne. We now have a group of young swimmers moving up the world rankings.
“Swimming is one of the most international of all sports with more than 200 nations competing at the likes of the Olympics. The challenges of achieving in a truly global sport like swimming are sometimes underestimated by the media when weighing up sporting achievement in this country.
“Our challenge is that we will always be unable to match the funding levels of the likes of swimming superpowers USA, Australia, Japan and many European nations.
“We target our resources where we are the most competitive internationally. Our swimmers must compete against the best regularly and that is a considerable cost.”
Mr Byrne said with this in mind he is pleased that SPARC is to help Swimming New Zealand undertake a review of the high performance programme before the final investment through to London.
“Swimming New Zealand is committed to continual improvement and the opportunity to work with SPARC to identify ways we can help our swimmers get better results is welcomed.
“We are very determined at the challenge ahead. At the same time we are excited by our burgeoning talent of swimmers and coaches and their dedication, hard work and desire to become the best they can be on the world stage.”
For further comment contact:
Mike Byrne
CEO, Swimming NZ
Tel 04 5600353
Mob 021 2492162
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