Membership

New Zealand’s best young swimmers fought back with some impressive performances against the visiting crack Japan squad on the penultimate night of competition at the New Zealand Age Group Championships in Hamilton tonight.

The strong Japanese squad have dominated to win more finals that their Kiwi counterparts on the first three nights of finals.

However New Zealand swimmers won 13 of the 21 races decided on the fourth night at the Te Rapa Aquatic Centre tonight.

Once again Howick Pakuranga club swimmers led the charge with four gold medals, two silver and a bronze in another outstanding performance.

Cameron Burrows, 15, led the way to beat his Japan counterparts in the final of the 200m freestyle in a slick 1:57.50, the only Kiwi under the two minute barrier. It was his fifth title of the championship, and he has beaten Japanese swimmers in four of those performances.

His clubmate Ewan Jackson, 13 years, picked up two more wins tonight to take his tally to six for the championship, one behind Whangaparaoa swimmer Mitchell Donaldson (Coast) who also won two more finals tonight.

Howick Pakuranga’s Renee Stothard was another standout tonight with a superb effort to win the 13 years and under division of the 800m freestyle in 9:21.41, the fastest time of the night including the older 14 years and 15 years age groups.

The championships finish tomorrow.

Day 4 finals results New Zealand Age Group Swim Championships, Te Rapa, Hamilton tonight:

Boys 200m freestyle:

13 years and under: Ewan Jackson (Howick Pakuranga) 2:05.54, 1; Ryan Cox (Capital) 2:06.58, 2; Peter Yates (Howick Pakuranga) 2:08.92, 3.

14 years: Mitchell Donaldson (Coast) 2:03.50, 1; Sam Wright (Jasi) 2:04.94, 2; Sam Robinson (North Shore) 2:05.65, 3.

15 years: Cameron Burrows (Howick Pakuranga) 1:57.60, 1; Dylan Dunlop-Barrett (Bell Block) 2:00.56, 2; Thomas McEwan (Central City) 2:00.91, 3.

SWD Open: Cameron Leslie (Whangarei) 1.

Girls 100m breaststroke:

13 years and under: Shu-Hua Chang (Onehunga) 1:16.49, 1; Elizabeth Brown (Ashburton) 1:17.43, 2; Brianna Green (Howick Pakuranga) 1:17.79, 3.

14 years: Ashley Rupapera (Stratford) 1:15.61, 1; Ellen Quirke (TSW Dolphins) 1:16.67, 2; Lydia Diver (Napier Aquahawks) 1:18.47, 3.

15 years: Jamie Johns (West Auckland) 1:15.17, 1; Kelly Briden (Kaiapoi) 1:16.04, 2; Courtney Smith (Sundevils) 1:17.16, 3.

SWD 14 and under: Mary Fisher (Upper Hutt) 1, Rebecca Dubber (North Shore) 2, Sophie Pascoe (QE2) 3.

SWD 15 and over: Celeste Labuschagne (Otumoetai) 1.

Boys 100m backstroke:

13 years and under: Jackson 1:06.50, 1; Joel Berryman (Capital) 1:08.34, 2; Dylan Garrod (West Auckland) 1:08.74, 3.

14 years: Jevon Harmer (Sundevils) 1:02.83, 1; Blake Bassett (Laser Mt Eden) 1:04.77, 2; Dale McNamara (Raumati) 1:05.79, 3.

15 years: Gareth Kean (Capital) 59.32, 1; Konrad Herewini (Metro) 1:02.46, 2; Mark Turner (Laser Mt Eden) 1:02.67, 3.

SWD 15 years and over: Michael Ardern (Fairfield) 1.

Girls 50m Backstroke:

13 years and under: Jenna Buchanan (Kiwi West) 31.82, 1; Aimee Browne (Jasi) 31.88, 2; Stacee Sturm (Watties Swim City) 32.26, 3.

14 years: Laura Quilter (comet) 31.22, 1; Nikki Johns (West Auckland) 31.78, 2; Danielle Koni (West Auckland) 31.88, 3.

15 years: Taryn Mackintosh (North Shore) 30.97, 1; Anamaria Clarke (Waterhole) 31.27, 2; Grace Marriner-Duncan (Metro) 31.46, 3.

Boys 200m breaststroke:

13 years and under:Neil Van Wijk (Masterton) 2:37.22, 1; Blair McGregor (Waves) 2:40.27, 2; Jeffrey Arona-Tuifana’e (Howick Pakuranga) 2:45.88, 3.

14 years: Donaldson 2:32.48, 1; Ben Stark (West Auckland) 2:39.47, 2; Max Woodhead (Parnell) 2:41.00, 3.

15 years: Grant Davis (Metro) 2:26.83, 1; Starn Simpson (West Auckland) 2:28.35, 2; Eric Abba (North Shore) 2:38.03, 3.

Girls 100m butterfly:

13 years and under: Buchanan 1:07.20, 1; Hannah Parnell (Greendale) 1:07.63, 2; Leandri Van Der Spuy (Kiwi West) 1:08.42, 3.

14 years: Danielle Koni (West Auckland) 1:06.28, 1; Emma Lowther (Howick Pakuranga) 1:07.15, 2; Alex Laidlaw (Aquagym) 1:07.23, 3.

15 years: Hannah Jones (Greendale) 1:04.96, 1; Marriner-Duncan 1:05.36, 2; Rachel Palmer (Howick Pakuranga) 1:07.24, 3.

SWD 14 and under: Fisher 1, Pascoe 2.

SWD 14 and over: Labuschagne 1.

Girls 800m freestyle:

13 years and under: Renee Stothard (Howick Pakuranga) 9:21.41, 1; Agnes Cheung (TSW Dolphins) 9:32.44, 2; Parnell 9:44.77, 3.

14 years: Phoebe Williams (Waves) 9:22.14, 1; Natasha Hind (Capital) 9:25.42, 2; Samantha Lee (Capital) 9:27.72, 3.

15 years: Jones 9:24.46, 1; Julia Wright (Howick Pakuranga) 9:24.62, 2; Rachael Ryan (TSW Dolphins) 9:34.87, 3.

Full results: www.swimmingnz.org.nz

For further information:

Ian Hepenstall, Sports Media NZ, Tel 0275 613181, E: ianhep@xtra.co.nz