New Zealand swim stars stamp their authority
The established Kiwi swim stars stamped their authority over the opposition on the third night of finals at the New Zealand Youth and Open Championships in Christchurch tonight.
Despite a month of tough competition at the Melbourne Commonwealth Games and the world short course championships in Shanghai, the leading lights produced the goods in emphatic fashion at the QE2 Pool.
World championship medalists Hannah McLean and Moss Burmester took titles along with fellow Commonwealth Games standouts Zoe Baker, Dean Kent and Lauren Boyle.
Kent (North Shore), who had arguably the toughest workload over the two major international meets, was close to his best in winning the 200m individual medley in 2:02.95. This was only 1.5 seconds outside his own national record.
Former world record holder Baker (Jasi) was much too classy in the 50m breaststroke in 31.89.
McLean had to out-sprint her North Shore clubmate Liz Coster in the 50m backstroke, where they were both finalists in Melbourne and Shanghai. McLean won in 28.91, Coster in 29.29 with Gisborne 15-year-old Emily Thomas (Enterprise) third in 29.78, a time that qualified her for the World Youth Championships.
Super-talented Boyle edged her New Zealand team-mate Helen Norfolk (North Shore) in a wonderful final in the 200m freestyle. The 18-year-old Boyle (West Auckland Aquatics) won in 2:01.12, only half a second outside her best time in Melbourne, with Norfolk 6/10ths of a second behind in second.
Burmester showed his class in his trademark event, the 200m butterfly, going under the two minute mark. He won in 1:59.93 ahead of Daniel Ryan (Waterhole) and Traumata’s Brett Newell.
The exception came in the men’s 50m backstroke where Hawkes Bay swimmer Callum Joll upset proceedings to beat Commonwealth Games representative Cameron Gibson and his North Shore clubmate John Zulch. Joll, from the Napier Aquahawks, was only the 12th fastest in the morning heats and only made it into the finals after two withdrawals. He made the most of his opportunity to win in 26.82, with Gibson just 4/100th of a second behind.
The championship finishes on Sunday.
Results, day 3 finals:
- 50m backstroke: Callum Joll (Napier Aquahawks) 26.82, 1; Cameron Gibson (North Shore) 26.86, 2; John Zulch (North Shore) 27.14, 3.
- 50m breaststroke: Zoe Baker (Jasi) 31.89, 1; Katie Bone (Primo Sundevils) 33.32, 2; Sarah Vettoretti (West Auckland Aquatics) 33.66, 3.
- 200m individual medley: Dean Kent (North Shore) 2:02.95, 1; Andrew McMillan (Neptune) 2:09.37, 2; Chris Hotchin (North Shore) 2:09.75, 3.
- 200m freestyle: Lauren Boyle (West Auckland Aquatics) 2:01.12, 1; Helen Norfolk (North Shore) 2:01.75, 2; Verity Hicks (Howick Pakuranga) 2:05.21, 3.
- 200m butterfly: Moss Burmester (North Shore) 1:59.93, 1; Daniel Ryan (Waterhole) 2:04.88, 2; Brett Newall (Raumati) 2:06.54, 3.
- 50m backstroke: Hannah McLean (North Shore) 28.91, 1; Liz Coster (North Shore) 29.29, 2; Emily Thomas (Enterprise) 29.78, 3.
