Eyad has completed the Mare Nostrum series of meets and is now at the Swimming New Zealand (SNZ) training camp preparing for the World Championships. I was pleased with Eyad’s swims at Mare Nostrum. The table below shows his full Mare Nostrum results.

EVENT	PB	TIME	PB
Monaco 50 free	23.85	24.38	No
Monaco 50 fly	25.89	26.27	No
Monaco 100 fly	1.00.48	59.79	Yes
Barcelona 50 free	23.85	24.01	No
Barcelona 50 fly	25.89	25.95	No
Canet 50 free	23.85	24.31	No
Canet 50 fly	25.89	25.84	Yes

The most pleasing feature was his improvement in the 50m butterfly from 26.27 to 25.95 to a personal best 25.84. A progressive result like that is an important feature in a tour like the Mare Nostrum series. It is a strong indication of better things to come. Eyad’s 50m freestyle series was close to being just as successful – 24.38 to 24.01 to 24.31. His 100 butterfly time of 59.79 was a personal best but I’m sure does not yet reflect his potential in this event.

It is important to thank the North Shore Head Coach, Andy McMillan, for looking after Eyad’s training during the Mare Nostrum series. I have always been hugely protective of who helps “my” swimmers on occasions such as this. In forty years pretty much the only people I have trusted before this trip were, in athletics, Arch Jelley and in swimming Duncan Laing, Horst Miehe and Greg Meade. All four were excellent – not that they need my endorsement. Andy is number five. From what Eyad tells me Andy is the equal of his old coach, Duncan Laing. There is not much praise higher than that.   

As a result of the Mare Nostrum swims Eyad has been selected by FINA to swim in the 50m and 100m butterfly at the World Championships in Budapest. He will represent the World Refugee Olympic Program. His schedule will begin on Saturday, 18 June with the 50m butterfly.

In the meantime, Eyad is preparing with the SNZ team at the pre-championship’s Samorín, X-Bionic Sphere staging camp in Bratislava, Slovakia. Help with Eyad’s preparation has been taken over by the St. Pauls Head Coach, Graham Smith. Eyad reminded me that Graham interviewed me several years ago, when he was studying coaching at university, about the application of Lydiard/Jelley training principles in a swimming program. Thank you, Graham, for the help you have given Eyad this week. Eyad has been well cared for indeed. Also, congratulations on the terrific job Graham is doing at St. Pauls, especially with Laura Littlejohn. She’s a good one.

When you come into contact with the world class swim coaches New Zealand has, it makes you acutely aware of the ludicrous decades of centralised training the sport was forced to endure by Miskimmin and Cameron. Three words you could never say to them were, “Dumb it down.” What a stunning waste when dozens of young, talented coaches such as Andy, Graham, Gary, Jon and William were ready and available. The anchor of Sport NZ has gone. And from what I’ve seen New Zealand’s coaches are taking up the challenge in no small measure.  

And finally, well done SNZ on selecting the Samorín, X-Bionic Sphere facility. Eyad tells me the pool, the hotel and the food are first class. He can be pretty hard to please about these things. Getting Eyad’s approval means the camp must be doing things right.

You must acknowledge that ever since the new regime took over at SNZ these decisions are getting better and better. The days when a New Zealand international team was split into males and females because of a booking error are becoming a distant and dark memory. Gary Francis and the New Zealand based World Championship swimmers arrive at the camp tonight New Zealand time. Things in the sport of swimming are looking up.

The only suggestion I would have is that on a SNZ international trip such as Mare Nostrum, the World Championships and the Commonwealth Games, SNZ introduce an incentive scheme for personal best swims. It might start off at a modest $100 per PB. On this trip the total cost so far would be only $1800. Surely SNZ could afford that amount. As the years go by and swimming’s financial health improves the amount could increase. No one is saying money is necessary, but it is a nice gesture that focuses the athlete’s attention on what is important in the progress of their swimming careers.  

On behalf of Eyad and me, thank you Steve, Gary and Amanda. As Mohamed Ali said, “You done splendid.”