Helen is one of the first NZ swimmers to be selected for three Olympic Games. She is one of the toughest of competitors, first representing New Zealand at the Pan Pacific Championships in 1997 in Japan. She won three silver medals, the most ever by a NZer, at the 2005 World University Games in Turkey. She bounced back from missing the 2002 Commonwealth Games to finish fifth in the 400m IM at the 2006 and was part of the bronze medal winning freestyle relay team. Ninth at the world championships over 400m IM, and NZ record holder over 200m and 400m freestyle and medley.