Bag Full Records On Electric Day Three
Day three of the 2024 Apollo Projects NZ Short Course Swimming Championships saw a bag full of New Zealand Records broken, plenty of hype pool side and not-to-missed action in the pool.
Emma Godwin (Heretaunga Sundevils) produced two of her career best performances in the Women’s 200m Backstroke on day three of racing. Having basically equalled her personal best in the morning heat, Godwin was looking to make another drop in the evening to dip under the World Aquatics “A” time. Godwin and Helena Gasson (Coast) showed their intentions early to set the pace and clear out from the rest of the field. Godwin created a gap in the second 50m of the race and marginally edge away for the remainder of the race. Godwin (2:05.76) was first on to the wall in a personal best time by more than a second, followed by Gasson (2:07.83) and Jesse Welsh (Club 37 – 2:08.03).
Godwin was pleased with both of her races today.
“I’m really stoked to get a personal best in race that I haven’t done so for six years now. I’m really happy with that time.”
Godwin will be back in action tomorrow in the shorter 50m Backstroke.
Sam Brown (Coast) continued his fine form at these championships in the Men’s 200m Backstroke. Zac Dell (Club 37) executed his trademark strong starts to lead at the first turn, before Brown worked his way to the front thanks to his the second turn. Brown (1:54.17) consistently executed good underwater skills to build an unassailable gap on route to his second national title of the week so far in a personal best time. Dell (1:54.91) split each lap well to take the silver medal ahead of Cooper Morley (North Shore – 1:56.66). Ariel Muchirahondo (Swim Rotorua – 1:57.69) continued his rich vein of form by breaking the 15 Years New Zealand Age Record to place fifth.
Speaking immediately after the race, Brown was pleased with the form he has displayed so far this week.
“I’m happy with that. That’s a little personal best which I haven’t done for a while.”
Chris Elson (Vikings – 52.76) was dominant from the gun in the Men’s 100m Butterfly. The most experienced swimmer in the field established an early lead to add the national title to his Oceania Championships gold from April. Teenagers Ryan Peck (United – 53.21) and Hugo Wrathall (Jasi – 53.22) both swam faster than they did in the morning to pick up the silver and bronze respectively.
There were two races taking place in the Women’s 100m Butterfly final, with Australian visitor Brittany Castelluzzo (57.09) and compatriot Olivia Hine (59.07) the two fastest swimmers. The other battle behind was for the national title. Esme Paterson (Neptune & Swim Dunedin) and Chloe Peters (Hamilton Aquatics & RPC Waikato) were close at halfway before Paterson edged clear to win the Kiwi gold (1:00.24). Peters (1:00.71) held off the fast-finishing Brooke Swan (Nelson South – 1:00.76) to round out the podium.
Carter Swift (Club 37) was trying to cause an upset over his teammate Josh Gilbert (Club 37) in the Men’s 50m Breaststroke. Swift was powerful off the blocks to lead at halfway, before an excellent turn and pull out from Gilbert (26.64) kept his chances of a breaststroke sweep at these championships as he surged clear to achieve his second personal best from two events. Gilbert was just outside the New Zealand Record and the “A” time with that excellent swim. Swift (26.98) took home the silver ahead of James Slessor (Waitakere – 27.66) to complete the medals.
The closest race of the night was the Women’s 200m Freestyle Multi-Class final. Chloe Gladwin (Whakatane) and Quinn Pike (Hamilton Aquatics) had an epic finish, after Pike went out a second faster over the opening 100m. As they turned for home, Pike still had a healthy lead but Gladwin closed quickly as they went side by side under the flags. Even with a slow motion replay it was impossible to split the difference, but Gladwin (2:17.98) took home the gold and the S19 New Zealand Record as both smashed the previous mark. Pike (2:17.99) secured the silver medal with Brooke Anderson (Vikings – 3:19.77) winning the bronze medal. Charlotte Murphy (Aquagym – 4:00.93) lowered the S6 16&U New Zealand Record to finish fourth.
Brearna Crawford (Waitakere – 30.93) led from start to finish in the Women’s 50m Breaststroke. Australian visitor Georgia Edwards (31.20) edged out Zyleika Pratt-Smith (Coast – 31.47) on the wall to share the silver medal, with Melissa Cowen (North Shore – 32.11) securing the bronze.
The Men’s 400m Freestyle final appeared to be a two-horse race between Ben Littlejohn (St Paul’s) and Larn Hamblyn-Ough (Coast), with contrasting strengths making for interesting viewing. Littlejohn showcased his extra power off the turns as his one-wood from his training at Harvard, with Hamblyn-Ough showing his open water background to be faster through the water. They went out together over the opening 200m in what appeared to be a game of cat and mouse each lap, before Littlejohn’s strength off the walls was complemented by bringing in the legs in the second half of the race to pull away. Littlejohn (3:50.75) claimed the national title with a personal best. Australian visiting youngster Lincoln Wearing (3:53.14) came home like a rocket in the last 25m but Hamblyn-Ough (3:52.81) did enough to hold on to the silver, with Joshua Amyes (Capital – 3:57.02) claiming the Kiwi bronze.
Molly Walker (Australia – 4:11.60) established an early lead and never relented in the Women’s 400m Freestyle. The action took place about a body length behind, where teenager Olivia Emmett (Club 37) was going stroke for stroke with Australian teenager Maya Bearman throughout. At the halfway mark, Aquablack Ruby Heath (Neptune & Swim Dunedin) started edging her way back towards Emmett. It took a final push from Emmett (4:13.04) to claim the national title. Heath (4:13.38) was third on the wall to win the Kiwi silver, followed by Bearman (4:13.54) and Emilia Finer (Neptune & Swim Dunedin – 4:14.47) the bronze.
A change of the starter box only added to the anticipation for the Men’s 4 x 50m Freestyle Relay. Carter Swift (Club 37) and Cameron Gray (Coast) led off for their teams and were neck and neck throughout, with Swift getting his hand on the wall first. Club 37 extended their lead with strong legs from Zac Dell and Jack Hendy, before Lewis Clareburt anchored the team to retain their national title (1:28.42). Coast (1:30.36) motored home to the silver with North Shore (1:31.47) taking bronze.
The Women’s 4 x 50m Freestyle Relay was another close battle for the national title. South Australia (1:40.82) claimed the first on the wall, but it was the tussle between Coast and Heretaunga Sundevils for the Kiwi gold that drew the attention. They were nearly inseparable at halfway, before Sundevils took a slender lead at the final changeover. Helena Gasson used all her experience to secure the gold for Coast (1:41.84), swimming half of her leg underwater to pull away. Sundevils (1:43.63) brought home the silver and North Shore (1:44.58) the bronze.
Whilst there were only four swimmers in the Men’s 100m Butterfly Multi-Class final, it was full of action. Asher Smith-Franklin (North Shore – 59.43) was slightly slower than his S14 New Zealand Record time during the morning heats to claim the gold medal. David Beck (Club 37 – 1:08.15) claimed the silver medal ahead of Daniel Smith (Pukekohe – 1:00.50) for bronze, with Smith breaking the S19 New Zealand Record twice in the same day. Just outside the podium, Luka Willems (Wharenui – 1:49.65) also broke the S18 New Zealand Record.
The Women’s 100m Butterfly Multi-Class saw all four finalists earn a spot on the podium, with Jasmin Fullgrabe (Australia – 1:12.45) earning the visitor gold. Rylee Sayer (Matamata – 1:33.36) continued her excellent form, with the S7 swimmer gracing the top step on the podium for the Kiwi gold. Charlotte Murphy (Aquagym – 2:04.99) broke the S6 New Zealand Record to claim silver, with Quinn Pike (Hamilton Aquatics – 1:20.44) the bronze in a S19 New Zealand Record.
James Haydon (Club 37 – 33.65) took out the Men’s 50m Breaststroke Multi-Class gold. Daniel Smith (31.12) broke the SB19 New Zealand Record as he won silver, with Ian Chen (St Paul’s) taking home the bronze.
Jordan Berryman (Australia – 43.08) might need an extra suitcase for her medals on her return flight to Perth after claiming another visitor gold in the Women’s 50m Breaststroke Multi-Class. Melissa Donoghue (Hamilton Aquatics – 1:08.34) claimed another national title for her collection after breaking the SB18 New Zealand Record earlier in the day, with Charlotte Rozen (Wharenui – 1:11.85) and McKenzie Drage (Aquagym – 58.69) rounding out the podium.
Asher Smith-Franklin (North Shore – 2:02.21) was comprehensive in the Men’s 200m Freestyle Multi-Class, taking out the final ahead of Jack Bugler (Blenheim – 2:08.00) and David Beck (Club 37- 2:12.44). Ian Chen (St Paul’s – 2:06.72) also picked up the S19 New Zealand Record with a fifth place overall finish. During the heats, Joseph Blake (Hamilton Aquatics – 3:11.47) also broke the S18 New Zealand Record.
During the age group races in the morning there were some epic battles but too many to report upon. Therefore, we encourage everyone to look back at the livestream available free on the Swimming NZ YouTube channel and check out the results.
Make sure you are following Swimming NZ social media channels to stay up-to-date with the action across the week. Day two has plenty more exciting races that you don't want to miss.
