Injury Forces Wiegersma out of World Swimming Championships

Injury has forced super talented Southland swimmer Natalie Wiegersma out of July’s FINA World Championships in Shanghai. The 21 year old has not recovered sufficiently from a niggling shoulder injury and has informed Swimming New Zealand that she wishes to withdraw from the team.

Coach Jeremy Duncan said that Wiegersma has missed too much training and is unable to cope with the heavy training workload required to be at world class for the world championships in Shanghai.

He said that the Waverley club swimmer would have compromised her London Olympic prospects if she continued.

Swimming New Zealand’s Jan Cameron said she was disappointed for the talented AquaBlack swimmer.

“It’s a real blow for Natalie who is one of our big prospects for London and beyond,” Cameron said. “Obviously the world championships are a key stepping stone for those with serious Olympic aspirations but Natalie and her coach Jeremy Duncan have made this decision in what they believe is her best long term interests.

“The important thing is for Natalie to recover fully from the injury. In that regard Swimming New Zealand has offered all of our support from our New Zealand Academy medical experts to work in with the excellent care that Natalie is currently receiving in Southland.”

Wiegersma had also withdrawn from the training camp that started this week in Cairns for a camp run by Swimming New Zealand senior high performance Coach Mark Regan.

Duncan had also accordingly withdrawn as a coach at the camp, but Swimming New has offered to still send him to Cairns for his personal development.

Wiegersma, a former world young champion and World Cup medallist, emerged internationally last year when she placed fifth and seventh in the A Finals of the individual medley at the Pan Pacific Championships, where she moved into the top 20 in the world in both events.

She went on to set a new national record in the 200m medley at the Delhi Commonwealth Games where she finished fourth.