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New Zealand swimmers, led by their Commonwealth Games stars, grabbed 14 medals on the second night of finals at the Oceania Championships in Cairns tonight.

Melbourne swimmers Corney Swanepoel, Lauren Boyle, Glenn Snyders and Liz Coster all scored victories in a successful day for the Kiwi squad.

It proved the first international victories for Snyders (North Shore) and Boyle (West Auckland Aquatics) who made such an impression at the Commonwealth Games earlier this year.

The other medals were scored by North Shore swimmers Robert Voss and Dean Kent, Kelly Bentley (Capital), Kelly Newcombe and Mark Herring (West Auckland Aquatics), Matt Thomas (Primo Sundevils), Kurt Bassett (Mt Eden) and the men’s relay team.

“It was a very very good night of swimming by this squad,” Swimming New Zealand director of coaching Clive Rushton said.

“The wins were all very impressive and it was encouraging for Lauren Boyle and Glenn Snyders to get their first international victories. Boyle backed up with a personal best in the 800m freestyle as well.

“Corney looked extremely good and Liz Coster is really starting to hit her straps.

“And our next echelon are starting to perform. It was another good night for the likes of Kelly Bentley, Kurt Bassett and Robert Voss. All in all it was an encouraging night of performances across the board.”

Coster set a championship record of 1:02.79 to win the 100m backstroke final, which was less than two seconds outside Hannah McLean’s national record. The versatile North Shore swimmer was also second in the 50m butterfly.

Snyders was classing in capturing the 100m breaststroke title in 1:03.50, Boyle impressed in swimming the 100m freestyle in 57.14 while Swanepoel clocked 54.51s, two seconds outside his Commonwealth Games best, in winning the 100m butterfly.

Boyle backed up her effort with a third placing in the 800m freestyle with a personal best 8:53.74.

There is a break in the pool competition tomorrow for the 10k open water swim with the leading New Zealand male and female will earn a place in the team for the world championships.

There are two further days of pool competition on Monday and Tuesday and the 5km open water swim on Wednesday.

Day 2 finals, New Zealand medals:

• 100m butterfly: Corney Swanepoel (North Shore) 54.51, 1^; Matt Thomas (Primo Sundevils, Hawkes Bay) 55.38, 3.
• 100m freestyle: Lauren Boyle (West Auckland Aquatics) 57.14, 1.
• 100m breaststroke: Glenn Snyders (North Shore) 1:03.50, 1.
• 200m breaststroke: Kelly Bentley (Capital) 2:35.23, 2.
• 400m freestyle: Robert Voss (North Shore) 3:59.44, 2.
• 100m backstroke: Liz Coster (North Shore) 1:02.79, 1 (Championship record); Kelly Newcombe (West Auckland Aquatics) 1:04.85, 3.
• 200m backstroke: Kurt Bassett (Mt Eden) 2:04.75, 2; Dean Kent (North Shore) 2:05.60, 3.
• 50m butterfly: Coster 28.07, 2.
• 50m freestyle: Mark Herring (West Auckland Aquatics) 23.71, 3.
• 800m freestyle: Boyle 8:53.74, 3.
• 4x200m freestyle relay men: NZL Voss, Ben Pickersgill-Brown, Bassett, Kent) 7:43.37, 2.

Full results: www.swimmingnz.org.nz