Nicola swims her way into NZ team

Nicola Lovell’s burgeoning swimming career just surged to another level.

Last week the 17-year-old Marlborough Girls’ College student was named in the New Zealand Tri-Series 18-and-under swim team which will travel to West Australia in July, competing against Australian state teams.

Nicola has steadily risen through the ranks nationally, producing a string of top results at various long and short course meets over the past few seasons.

She capped her national selection with a strong showing at the recent NZ Open Swimming Championships in Auckland. Competing in the 17-18 age group against the nation’s best, Nicola narrowly missed podium placings, finishing fourth in the 200m breaststroke and 200m individual medley, while adding fifth, sixth and ninth placings in other events.

She also produced three top results in the open category, against all-comers, finishing seventh in the 200 and 400m IM races and 200m breaststroke.

This will be Nicola’s first time in New Zealand colours, her call-up leaving her “excited and very happy”.

She went up to the nationals with a “hit or miss” attitude to attaining NZ selection.

“I had my eyes on the team, but was certainly not confident that I was going to make it,” she said.

“I got personal bests in the 200IM and 100 breast stroke so this was definitely my highlight of the year.

“It was always a big goal of mine to represent New Zealand, I thought it would be pretty awesome and maybe a stepping stone to bigger things … I’m just not sure what at the moment,” she added with a chuckle.

The format for the Aussie meet is different to a championship event. Swimmers will compete for points for their respective teams. The NZ squad will be split into two teams, NZ Black and NZ White, who will endeavour to score more points collectively than their Kiwi rivals, plus teams from Swimming Victoria and Western Australia.

She will continue to train up to the leaving date on July 5 with Blenheim Swimming Club coach Shane Skehan. One bonus is the fact she will training in her preferred 25m pool, the same distance as the facility used for the Tri-Series, which will run over three days.

Nicola says she knows her Kiwi team mates well, having competed against them at various meets in NZ, but adds, “I look forward to making more friends over there”.