New Zealand’s Michael Pickett Re-Writes Record Books After Moving to Australia

Photo Courtesy: Dave Crampton

Commentary by Dave Crampton, Swimming World Contributor.

Young New Zealand swimmer Michael Pickett is on a fast track to a 50-point 100m freestyle since moving from a small New Zealand club to Peter’s Western (SPW), one of Australia’s most prestigious clubs, this year.

St Peter’s Western is coached by Australia’s Commonwealth Games coach Dean Boxall and recently arrived New Zealand coach, John Gatfield.

In his first big meet this year, the Queensland Sprint Champs, 15-year old Pickett swam 23.21 in the 50m freestyle, breaking Olympic 100m freestyle champion Kyle Chalmers’ Queensland all-comers 15-years age group record of 23.31, and then swam 25.60 in the 50m butterfly for two New Zealand National Age Group records.

Pickett’s long course meters (LCM) times are pretty impressive in any country, especially for someone so young. He reset his records this month: 51.21 for the 100m freestyle, 23.14 in the 50m freestyle and 25.51 in 50m butterfly – all set within three hours of each other at the AIC (Associated Independent Colleges) champs, without a taper.

His times would put him top in the world for his age group this year in 50m freestyle LCM, second in his age group in the 100m freestyle, and top five in the 50m butterfly.

Just one New Zealander has put up a faster freestyle time this year to date.

Since he arrived in Australia last month, Pickett has already broken five New Zealand National Age Group records, heading off the Australians.

But he thinks he can go quicker with a taper: 50.7 in the 100m freestyle, 22.7 in the 50m (a time which is good enough for a World Juniors final), and 25.10 in the 50m butterfly – with a sub 50m 100m freestyle mid-year.

Since the National Age Group Championships in New Zealand a year ago, Pickett’s times have improved by more than a second in 50m freestyle, more than two seconds in the 100m and 1.3 seconds in the 50m butterfly.

He cites the increased intensity of his training and the enhanced environment at SPW as factors in his improved times.

“I’m getting thrashed, definitely,” he said. “The workload, and intensity, is an extreme amount – everybody is really motivated and everyone is working hard.”

Training alongside Olympian Mitch Larkin and teenage prodigy Ariarne Titmus, who recently became the first swimmer in 14 years to take out the 200, 400 and 800 metres freestyle treble at Australia’s Commonwealth Games Trials earlier this month, one in an Australian Open record time, has also been a motivator.

“I’m really enjoying it – I love the hard work. I’m really motivated especially training alongside these guys. I`m here for a purpose – I want to stay in Australia until 2020.”

One goal is to make individual qualifying times for the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo, when he will be 18.

“I think I can, the way I’m going at the moment,” he said.

His coach, John Gatfield, arrived at SPW in January. Gatfield has previously coached young New Zealand teams to Australia and Pickett has swam at a National Age Group championship in Australia.

“It’s the best decision I’ve ever made,” Gatfield said of the move. “The energy here is phenomenal – everybody here is such a big support in the programme.”

Gatfield was involved in securing Pickett to swim at SPW, and said while Pickett has always improved, the improvement this year has accelerated as a result of his move. He also said this energy and the desire to achieve optimal performance was incredibly motivating for him as a coach, but also for Pickett as a swimmer.

“I’m learning off the best in the world – I wasn’t going to get that in New Zealand,” he said. “All of these people just want to succeed.”

“People want to be the best here and support each other to be the best.”

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