By Gary Anderson

August 10 - IPC SWIM NEW ZEALondon 2012 gold medallists Sophie Pascoe and Mary Fisher will be looking to lead the New Zealand team to further success at the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) Swimming World Championships, which are due to get underway in Montreal on Monday (August 12).


Pascoe, winner of three gold medals at Beijing 2008 and at London 2012, will be looking to continue her fine form since the Paralympics last year which saw her set a world record time of 29.21sec in the S10 50 metres butterfly, at the New Zealand Swimming Championships in Auckland earlier this year.

The 20-year-old, the youngest ever New Zealander to win a Paralympic gold at Beijing 2008 aged 15, will be defending her 2010 world title in the S10 100m butterfly, as well as seeking to better her three silver medals in the S10 50 m freestyle, S10 100 m backstroke, SM10 200m individual medley, and bronze in the SB9 100m breaststroke.

Teammate Fisher (pictured top) also set a world record at the New Zealand Championships in March, as she beat her previous best time in S11 50m butterfly of 35.12, set at London 2012, clocking 34.35.

The 20-year-old claimed 200m individual medley gold at London 2012 setting a world record of 2min 46.91sec, while also claiming two silvers and a bronze, and will be competing in six events in Montreal.

These include 100m backstroke, 50m freestyle, 400m freestyle, 100m freestyle, 100m butterfly, as well as the 200m individual medley, where she will be hoping to add world gold to her Paralympic crown.

Sophie Pascoe poses with her considerable medal haul from the London 2012 Paralympic GamesSophie Pascoe poses with her considerable medal haul from London 2012

Pascoe and Fisher will be joined by fellow Paralympic medallists Cameron Leslie and Daniel Sharp in a talented New Zealand squad.

Cameron is the defending men's SM4 150m individual medley world champion and has dominated this event over the last number of years, having won gold at Beijing 2008 and London 2012, and will be looking to make it two-in-a-row in Montreal.

Sharp has medalled at three Paralympic Games, winning bronze at Athens 2004 before consecutive silvers in Beijing and London in the men's SB13 100m breaststroke, while also claiming gold at the 2009 Short Course World Championships in Rio de Janeiro.

"We are very excited about this team as we believe we have a great depth of experience and enthusiasm," said New Zealand's head swim performance coach Jon Shaw.

"This event will provide a great testing ground to see where our performances sit on the international stage."

Daniel Sharp will be looking to secure his first gold at a major Championships in the SB13 100m breaststrokeNew Zealand's Daniel Sharp will be looking to secure his first gold at a major Championships when he competes in the SB13 100m breaststroke at Montreal

Nikita Howarth, who became New Zealand's youngest ever Paralympian in London aged 13, and Daniel Holt will be looking to build on promising performances at last year's Paralympics while 16-year-old Jesse Reynolds is making his debut at a major international Championships and will compete across three events in Montreal.

"My training is going great at the moment," Reynolds said.

"If it continues like this, the Worlds will be a great competition.

"This is by far the largest event I have competed in, but I think that will only benefit me and help with my performance."

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