Shearer going swimmingly

JOHN HAWKINS/Southland Times

THERE'S THE RUB: Swimming New Zealand massage therapist Zane Harris, from Invercargill, works on Southland swimmer Lisa Pankhurst at the Splash Palace pool yesterday.

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When Zane Harris gave up shearing five years ago in search of a new profession, never did he think it might lead to a trip to the Olympic Games.

The Southlander was this week confirmed as Swimming New Zealand's official masseur as they build towards the 2012 London Olympics.

Five years ago Harris decided to put the handpiece to one side and head to the Southern Institute of Technology to train in massage therapy. It is a move that certainly doesn't have any regrets attached to it when he reflects.

"This has been very rewarding," Harris told The Southland Times yesterday.

During his study at SIT, Harris spent time at the Orca swimming carnival as part of his work assessment. A group of swimmers he worked with during that time were impressed with what he had done and requested more sessions with him.

Those requests grew to the point he became Southland swimming's massage therapist.

When attending national meets with the Southland swimming team he built up contacts, to the point Harris was singled out as the person Swimming New Zealand wanted heading into a couple of years of big events. Next year he will attend meets with the national team including the Commonwealth Games in India.

Harris said to get a gig with an elite national sporting team was something he had eyed for some time.

"This is something I`ve been working towards for two years, it is what I've wanted to do since I realised it could be done," he said.

"It's not all about getting to go to these big events, it is also being able to talk to a lot of different people and bring different ideas back to good old Southland."

- © Fairfax NZ News

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