Huge congratulations to Ruby Heath (Neptune) who has been announced on the team to represent New Zealand at the upcoming ANOC World Beach Games to be held in Bali from 5-12 August.

The ANOC World Beach Games is an international multi-sport event organized by the Association of National Olympic Committees, attracting athletes from a wide range of beach and water sport disciplines. The games describe themselves as a "young and inclusive event that combines the informality and vibrancy of the beach with elite sport, to create highly attractive Games". This will be the second edition of the games. The inaugral games were held in Qatar in 2019.

Ruby will compete in the Open Water discipline, taking on the 5km event. Ruby will be the first person to represent New Zealand in Open Water Swimming at a World Beach Games, after she qualified for a spot at the 2022 World Aquatics Championships.

Here is what Ruby had to say about the upcoming games...

"To get the opportunity to wear the fern and represent my country is something I strive for everyday and I'm looking forward to racing hard on the international stage."

Ruby continues to train hard in the lead up to the games, and has had an extremely busy season thus far.

After donning the silver fern for the first time at the 2022 World Aquatics Championships, Heath impressed at the New Zealand Short Course Championship by gaining multiple FINA B cuts and ultimately being selected onto the team that competed at the 2022 World Swimming Championships (25m). At these world championships, she threw down impressive splits in the 4x200m Freestyle relay, the event in which she and her team mates broke the New Zealand record and became World Championship finalists. The summer months consisted of building up her experience racing in Open Water events, with Ruby competing at the New South Wales and Queensland State Open Water Championships, alongside the New Zealand and Australian Open Water Championships. Following competing at the Australian nationals, Ruby spent some time training with some of Australia's best open water athletes in Western Australia, which was a fantastic learning experience.

We are so proud of Ruby, and can't wait to see her smash it in Bali!

Article added: Wednesday 21 June 2023