Love-lost teen takes parents to court
Source: Agencies |
July 4, 2011, Monday
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Print Edition
Print Edition
A 17-YEAR-OLD has won a court case allowing him to take part in swim meets after his parents tried to stop him competing in order to end his relationship with an American Olympic gold medalist who is seven years older.
Justin Wright was forced into action when his parents withdrew the parental consent needed to compete in Swimming New Zealand events, thinking that would prevent him seeing 24-year-old Rhi Jeffrey.
The Herald on Sunday reported that Wright met Jeffrey at the West Auckland Aquatic Club, and the pair became involved in a romantic relationship.
Jeffrey, who won gold with the American 4x200-meter freestyle relay team at Athens in 2004, had moved to Auckland to try to qualify for next year's Olympics with her New Zealand coach.
The Herald said Wright's parents, Paul and Sandy, were not happy about the pair's relationship, reportedly because of the age difference. They sent e-mails to club members demanding that the club coach intervene, and withdrew their consent for their son to compete at SNZ events.
Auckland District Court judge Graham Hubble on Thursday granted permission for Wright to enter into a contract with SNZ. The application was not opposed.
A student at Westlake Boys' High School, Wright said he was "annoyed" his parents had tried to stop him taking part in swim meets. The couple is living together in Jeffrey's Auckland-area apartment.
In Montreal, Michael Phelps led from start to finish to win the 200-meter freestyle in 1 minute, 47.46 seconds at the Canada Cup on Saturday.
Fellow American Matthew Patton was second in 1:49.87, with Canadian Ryan Cochrane third in 1:50.08.
"I didn't feel like I could really step on it the first hundred," said Phelps, the American star who turned 26 last Thursday. "I felt kind of weird.
"I usually have easy speed the first hundred and I tried to step on it and I just didn't have it. Hopefully it's something we can fix."
The meet at one of the world's fastest pools is being used as a tuneup for the FINA World Championships beginning on July 16 in Shanghai, which itself is a test leading into the 2012 Olympics in London.
Justin Wright was forced into action when his parents withdrew the parental consent needed to compete in Swimming New Zealand events, thinking that would prevent him seeing 24-year-old Rhi Jeffrey.
The Herald on Sunday reported that Wright met Jeffrey at the West Auckland Aquatic Club, and the pair became involved in a romantic relationship.
Jeffrey, who won gold with the American 4x200-meter freestyle relay team at Athens in 2004, had moved to Auckland to try to qualify for next year's Olympics with her New Zealand coach.
The Herald said Wright's parents, Paul and Sandy, were not happy about the pair's relationship, reportedly because of the age difference. They sent e-mails to club members demanding that the club coach intervene, and withdrew their consent for their son to compete at SNZ events.
Auckland District Court judge Graham Hubble on Thursday granted permission for Wright to enter into a contract with SNZ. The application was not opposed.
A student at Westlake Boys' High School, Wright said he was "annoyed" his parents had tried to stop him taking part in swim meets. The couple is living together in Jeffrey's Auckland-area apartment.
In Montreal, Michael Phelps led from start to finish to win the 200-meter freestyle in 1 minute, 47.46 seconds at the Canada Cup on Saturday.
Fellow American Matthew Patton was second in 1:49.87, with Canadian Ryan Cochrane third in 1:50.08.
"I didn't feel like I could really step on it the first hundred," said Phelps, the American star who turned 26 last Thursday. "I felt kind of weird.
"I usually have easy speed the first hundred and I tried to step on it and I just didn't have it. Hopefully it's something we can fix."
The meet at one of the world's fastest pools is being used as a tuneup for the FINA World Championships beginning on July 16 in Shanghai, which itself is a test leading into the 2012 Olympics in London.
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