All roads lead to Rome for the New Zealand swim team who leave their training camp today in readiness for the FINA World Championships that begin in the Italian capital on Sunday (local time).
Head coach Jan Cameron believes the nine-strong squad are well prepared to meet their goals in the week-long event after key sessions at their camp in Teramo, a two and a half -hour drive from Rome.
The contest will be white-hot in one of the world's most competitive sports, with 180 nations competing in Rome and under the spotlight after a plethora of world records in virtually every stroke and distance over the past 18 months.
A significant part of the bull-run has been the controversial explosion of suit suits with all of the criticised outfits allowed for these world championships ahead of new regulations to be brought in by the world governing body FINA next January.
Cameron said that as Swimming New Zealand had supported the FINA line, allowing swimmers to use the suits of their choice, it was not a problem for the championships.
“We all know that we want this sorted in the future. But right now we are just focussed on getting the job done in Rome. With all the suits available, it’s an even playing field which is the important thing.
“It’s been over to the swimmers to choose the suit they want subject to choice and availability and to then get on with swimming fast.”
Cameron said the world standard has shot ahead in the last two years and the squad, as is the New Zealand way, are doing everything to continue their pace forward. We are in such a tough sport globally yet over the past six to eight years we have continued to improve our rankings in the world.
“Only four New Zealand swimmers have got medals in the history of the world championships and we have never won a world long course title. It’s deeper and tougher than ever and we have done exceptionally well to continue to improve our rankings in this environment.
“We had our strongest all-round effort at the 2007 world championships in Melbourne where we made three finals and five semifinals and will be looking forward with quiet optimism to match that in Rome.”
The key chances lie with the International Training Centre trio of Burmester, Corney Swanepoel and Glenn Snyders along with the men’s medley relay combination that produced a stunning fifth placing at the Beijing Olympics.
Burmester was fourth in his favoured 200m butterfly at the last world championships in Melbourne two years ago and in Beijing. He set a Commonwealth record of 1:54.14, faster than his Beijing best, in the trials which is the sixth fastest time in the world this year.
Like the Olympics, the contenders will all be chasing Michael Phelps, with Burmester hopeful the hard work at a camp on the Gold Coast will help the back end of his race after he led the Olympic final at the midway mark.
He has qualified in three events including the 100m butterfly and the 400m freestyle, which is on the first day of competition.
Fellow fly exponent Swanepoel will race the 50m butterfly on the first day and his key event, the 100m butterfly where his 51.61 NZ record is the 14th fastest in the world this year and third fastest in the Commonwealth.
His sights are on the semifinals first and breaking the 51 sec barrier is the likely target for a spot in the finals.
The most improved kiwi swimmer last year was Snyders, who has developed over the last five years into a world class breaststroker. He qualified in all three distances and he has his key event, the 100m on the opening day.
Snyders clocked 1:00.17 to break his own national record at the trials which is the 17th fastest time in the world this year, and the second fastest in the Commonwealth. It’s a fair bet that he will need to crack that magical one minute barrier if he harbours hopes of progressing.
A target for Synders will be Australia’s best, Brenton Rickard who was fourth in the Beijing final in 59.74.
The rest of the squad include the exciting multi world junior champion Daniel Bell (North Shore) who has a busy time in the 50m and 100m backstroke, 50m butterfly and lead-off in the medley relay.
He is looking to lower his national records and the hugely talented and ambitious teenager has high expectations.
Three swimmers who narrowly missed qualifying for the Olympics - Michael Jack, Andrew McMillan and Kurt Bassett - have all made the tougher qualifying mark for Rome where Jack (West Auckland Aquatics) and McMillan (North Shore) will race the 200m freestyle on day two and Bassett (ITC Laser Mt Eden) takes on the 200m backstroke later in the week.
North Shore’s Hayley Palmer is the only female in the team, qualifying in the 100m freestyle. The 19-year-old goes in with a chance of a semi final and will likely need to go under the 54 second barrier to move closer to the top eight which is her goal.
New Zealand has the same Olympic combination of Bell, Swanepoel, Synders and Cameron Gibson for the medley relay where they clocked a superb 3:33.39 at Beijing and will be looking to make the final again.