As at the conclusion of today’s session of heats New Zealand will have swum in eleven of eighteen heats. So far no one has made a semi-final or final. That does not reflect any lack of effort or potential on the part of the swimmers involved. It certainly does not reflect badly on Gary Francis either. It is no secret that I am no great fan of Gary’s lists and Millennium training camps, but he has been instrumental in abolishing the centralised training policy that has brought swimming to its knees. His presence in Korea to witness New Zealand’s problems is understandable and valid.

But what I do not understand or accept is why on earth Steve Johns is swanning about on a corporate Korean junket? What on earth valid reason is there for him to be anywhere near a world championship swimming pool? I doubt he has any understanding of what’s going on. How much has this cost us all? My guess for a week in Korea is $4000 or $5000 – for what? He sits in that Antares Place office being paid a fortune and demanding swimmers pay their own way to a world short course championship and shouts himself a fully-funded trip that, in my view, achieves nothing. The whole thing is disgusting.

So what did Steve Johns see today? Was the cost of his trip money well spent? Did New Zealand swimming make progress on day five of the championship – Thursday 25 July 2019?

New Zealand had the women’s 4×200 freestyle relay in the pool – the team was Fairweather, Doyle, Edwards and Thomas. The team failed to make the final. The team was tenth, 7.36s away from the New Zealand record. Their ranking improved from 14 to 10. After today’s heats the teams PB ratio is one PB from eleven swims or 9.1%; not good at all.

The team was 7.28s (1.5%) behind qualifying for the final.

The eleven swims by New Zealand swimmers on the first five days have averaged 1.7% behind the time required to progress to the next round.

The New Zealand record in the women’s 4x200m freestyle of 7:55.92, would have qualified eighth for the final.

Thursday 25 July