7 Apr 2010

Daniel Bell qualifies for Delhi

7:57 am on 7 April 2010

The Beijing Olympian Daniel Bell has qualified for the Commonwealth Games with an impressive

swim in the final of the 200 metres backstroke on the second night of finals at the New Zealand Championship in west Auckland.

Bell, a 100 metres specialist, clocked a personal best of 1:58.96 to go under the qualifying mark by half a second, bringing the qualifiers to four after two nights.

And but for a fingertip it would have been six with Emily Thomas and Glenn Snyders only fractions of a second from their target times in the 100m backstroke and 200m breaststroke respectively.

Hayley Palmer gave her campaign for selection to New Delhi a boost when she broke the national record in the 50 freestyle. clipping 7/100th of a second off the record Toni Jeffs set eight years ago.

And the Games qualifier Natalie Wiegersma won the 100 butterfly after her 200 individual medley triumph on the opening night. The championships continue until Friday.