Australians swimmers determined to re-establish themselves at top

SYDNEY - Australia’s 52 member strong swimming team is confident of maintaining its dominance at the XIXth Delhi Commonwealth Games and ready take on the best at the new pool at the Dr S.P. Mukherjee Aquatic Complex in New Delhi.

In Melbourne, four years ago, the men let the team down after long years of dominance. The women team with Leisel Jones at the forefront, won a stack of gold medals, claiming 16 out of a possible 21 medals.

“We gave the opposition a sniff, and when you do that at a big meet, it can come back and bite you,” said Brenton Rickard, the world record-holding breaststroker.

England’s swimmers have performed well since they surprised at the Beijing Olympics and feel they are on track for a sizeable medal haul at the London Olympics in 2012.

Their duel with the Australians in Delhi will be a highlight of the Commonwealth Games and Australia’s swimming head coach Leigh Nugent believes his team is primed for success.

“The British countries will be coming to Delhi to certainly give us a serve, there’s no doubt about that. But we’re ready for it,” head coach Nugent said.

“Hopefully we live up to performances that we have had at previous Commonwealth Games. We have had a long history of being on top in the swimming but it is probably a challenge to stay there this time. You can’t let your guard down,” he said.

“The competition is pretty tough but I am sure this team can acquit itself very well,” The Sydney Morning Herald quoted Nugent, as saying. (ANI)