{"id":332198,"date":"2018-10-09T04:00:58","date_gmt":"2018-10-09T11:00:58","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.swimmingworldmagazine.com\/news\/?p=332198"},"modified":"2018-10-06T15:22:03","modified_gmt":"2018-10-06T22:22:03","slug":"swimming-world-presents-up-comers-michael-pickett","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.swimmingworldmagazine.com\/news\/swimming-world-presents-up-comers-michael-pickett\/","title":{"rendered":"Swimming World Presents “Up & Comers: Michael Pickett”"},"content":{"rendered":"

Up & Comers: Michael Pickett<\/h2>\n

Sponsored by Spectrum Aquatics<\/a><\/h3>\n

Many young athletes dream of the chance to represent their country in international competition, and New Zealand\u2019s Michael Pickett<\/strong> recently had that dream come true at the 2018 Junior Pan Pacific Championships, Aug. 23-26.<\/p>\n

While there, Pickett finished third in the 50 meter freestyle (22.86) and 12th in the 100 (50.89), while also helping his teammates to three fifth-place finishes in the men\u2019s 400 medley and 400 freestyle relays and the mixed 400 medley relay.<\/p>\n

Pickett has shown his speed ever since he was 12 years old when he first started breaking New Zealand national age group records. He now has 11 such records across the ages of 12 through 16. His most recent NAG mark came on his 16th birthday, Aug. 17, when he blasted a 22.31 for the 50 free (SCM) at the McDonald\u2019s Queensland Short Course Championships in Australia. His time lowered Orinoco Fa\u2019amausili Banse\u2019s 2007 NAG standard of 22.98.<\/p>\n

John Gatfield<\/strong>, assistant head coach at St. Peters Western Swimming Club (Brisbane, Australia), told Swimming World,\u201cMichael is a worker and embraces the challenge of hard work. Since coming (from New Zealand) into our program at St. Peters Western in January this year, he has grown a lot\u2014he knows and understands that everything we do now is a small stepping stone and investment into our goal of Tokyo 2020 and beyond.\u201d<\/p>\n

In addition to being a talented swimmer, Pickett also excels in soccer and basketball.<\/p>\n

Gatfield added, \u201cHe\u2019s an athletic lad and clearly loves to keep active and social in other sports or games outside of the pool. He\u2019s got a very relaxed attitude and keeps good balance with his work and play. But come training or race time…he\u2019s on!\u201d<\/p>\n

To learn more about Pickett and his many accomplishments, check out the October 2018 issue of\u00a0Swimming World Magazine<\/em><\/a><\/span>, available now!\u00a0\u00a0Swimming World subscribers can download this issue in the\u00a0Swimming World Vault<\/a>!<\/span><\/p>\n

\"octover-18-cover\"<\/a><\/h3>\n

[PHOTO COURTESY: PETER H. BICK]<\/h3>\n

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