Matai McGuinniety is someone who finds peace in the pool.
The 16-year-old Nelson College student is now a two-time national age-group swimming champion in the 50m butterfly.
“The stroke is different to any other stroke, you either get it or you don’t… It has a silly feel to it.”
Matai swims eight times a week with two hour sessions in the morning and two hours in the early evening at the Hampden Street Pool the norm.
Matai says there is a level of expectation that he will dominate the 50m butterfly.
Matai’s three siblings also raced at the National Age-Group Championships.
“You’re at school all day and then you get to come to Hampden Street [Pool] and just relax and do something fun.”
Matai, who was initially from Christchurch, says he bugged his parents at age 6 to sign him up for swimming classes.
His first race was not a spectacular effort.
“It was in a 25m pool and I clung to the side of the pool the whole way, but I eventually realised it was fun.”
His family moved up to Nelson in 2008 and he’s been at the Nelson South Swimming Club ever since.
Coach Glen Findlay says Matai is a swimmer with a special ability.
“When you see someone with a connection to the water like Matai, as a coach, you get pretty excited,” he says.
Glen says he’s a swimmer who naturally suits short distance racing but he believes he is more than capable over longer distances.
“In 21 years I don’t think I’ve seen or worked with a better swimmer.”
“He had all last winter off which generally means summer competitions are a write-off and you’re trying to get back to the condition you were once in.”
“However, Matai was able to come back and beat his times and swim faster than ever before, which is very rare at this level.”
“Matai is one of those people who has great balance in his life even though he’s busy and that’s a credit to him.”
