Swimwatch readers may be aware that I help Eyad Masoud with his swimming. I met Eyad in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. I was coaching on a year’s contract with the Saudi Swimming Federation. When I came back to New Zealand, Eyad came too.

Eyad’s swimming career had been blighted by a number of factors. Growing up in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, his best coach by far was his father. The professionals in the city either would not help because of Eyad’s Syrian nationality or they didn’t have a clue about the training he needed. But, by far the most severe handicap was the lack of opportunities to compete. Eyad’s Syrian nationality meant that he could not enter Federation run meets. His racing was restricted to meets run as part of the Saudi University sports program. At best, that provided him with about 6 races a year.

There is no need to be an ASCA Level 5 coach to know that 6 races a year is woefully inadequate. The Russian sprinter, Alexander Popov used a schedule of 100 races a year. In the first seven years of her New Zealand swimming career Jane Copland averaged 70 races a year. As a comparison I entered Olympic Gold Medalist, Rhi Jeffrey, in an average of 58 races each year. Fifty second 100-meter swimmer, Joe Skuba, swam an average of 40 races a year.

Unfortunately, even when Eyad came to New Zealand his race schedule was restricted. He certainly could not race in Australia. Refugees are not allowed to travel overseas. Local meets in Auckland, Northland, Waikato and Bay of Plenty were not always easy to find and frequently interfered with Eyad’s university and learn to swim work schedule. We did make some progress, lifting the number of races from 6 a year to about 30. Still not enough but better than 6.

Then came Covid. For two years racing was erratic. Covid would increase and racing would stop. Covid would decline and races would resume. The whole thing was a hit-and-miss mess. It was no one’s fault. Jacinda was protecting the country. Swimming New Zealand was obeying the rules. But all of us were back to a Saudi diet of not much more than 6 races a year.

And then in the past six months, thanks to some talented officials at Swimming New Zealand and around the Regions, New Zealand began to innovate. Meets that obeyed the rules were possible. In fact, programmes were invented that were better than pre-Covid days. The Lydiard/Jelley training program I follow depends on a full programme of races leading up to a pinnacle meet. That has always been a struggle in New Zealand. But this season is like living in the United States again. Meets every weekend – no problem at all.

This season, in the 10 weeks prior to the New Zealand National Championships, Eyad is entered in 7 meets and 29 races. Thanks to administrators in the Waikato Region, North Shore Swimming, Auckland Region and at Swimming New Zealand we have the perfect racing preparation. So, a thank you has been well earned.

I would especially like to compliment the Auckland Region administration who came up with the idea of spreading their March meet over three weekends. The schedule of races is perfect preparation for the Nationals. One race a day. Six races in total. Plenty of rest. Good 50m pool. It is a real opportunity to swim best times. And being one race a day it means maximum pressure to swim fast on the first occasion. We are back in Florida. Popov, Jeffrey, Phelps, Lochte, Dressel and Ledecky would love it. Very well-done you guys.

And so, for the FIRST time in Eyad’s swimming lifetime he has a good racing run into the National Championships. It has only taken twenty years or so, but thanks to Covid and some innovative administrators we have it at last. Fingers crossed nothing comes along to screw it up this time.