New Zealand has announced an 8-swimmer squad that will race at the 2016 Rio Summer Olympic Games in August. That’s half as many swimmers as the 16 that they sent to compete in London, despite having the same qualification standard of simply achieving the FINA ‘A’ standard at either the Canadian or New Zealand National Championships.
Of the group of 8, two swimmers will make their 3rd Olympic appearances. Distance ace Lauren Boyle, a former World Record holder in the 1500 SCM freestyle, and breaststroker Glenn Snyders join Dean Kent and Helen Norfolk as the only New Zealand swimmers to compete at three Olympic Games.
The roster:
- Lauren Boyle (United Swim Club, Auckland) (3rd Olympics)
- Glenn Snyders (North Shore Swimming, Auckland) (3rd Olympics)
- Matthew Stanley (Matamata, Waikato) (2nd Olympics)
- Bradlee Ashby (Fairfield Swim Club, Waikato)
- Helena Gasson (North Shore Swimming, Auckland)
- Matthew Hutchins (Wharenui Swim Club, Christchurch)
- Corey Main (Howick Pakuranga Swim Club, Counties Manukau)
- Emma Robinson (Capital Swim Club, Wellington) will be heading to their first Olympic Games.
Of the eight, five are first-time Olympians, including American-trained Matthew Hutchins and Corey Main. Both were All-Americans this past season at the University of Wisconsin and the University of Florida, respectively, and Hutchins was named the 2016 Big Ten Conference Swimmer of the Year.
New Zealand has won 6 Olympic medals all-time in swimming, including 5 from the men. Their most recent podium finish was the 200/400 double done by Danyon Loader in Atlanta in 1996.
Not making the team were Kevin and Mick Litherland, two-thirds of the Litherland Triplets, who were attempting to qualify for the New Zealand team. Their brother, World University Games champion Jay Litherland, will compete to qualify for the United States Olympic Team in June.
