New Zealand Swimming Championship 2011: Second day - Final rounds update
The second day of the 2011 New Zealand Swimming Championship concluded with the addition of some more swimmers in the New Zealand team to compete at the 2011 Shanghai World Championships in July. The championship also serves as a trial for the national swimmers
to qualify for the World Championships.
The session began with the final of the Women’s 100m backstroke, where the fastest swimmer in the preliminary rounds, Melissa Ingram, proved her qualification for the crown by submitting a 1:01.81 minutes effort. Ingram reported 0.22 seconds earlier than
Waverley Swimming Club’s Natalie Wiegersma and Aqua Gym’s Sophia Batchelor, who touched the wall in a neck-to-neck time of 1:02.03 and 1:02.25 minutes, respectively. Two of her team-members, North Shore’s Jessie Blundell and Emily Thomas, finished fourth and
fifth in a time of 1:02.34 and 1:03.03 minutes, respectively.
Next was the Men’s 200m freestyle final, where Matamata’s Matthew Stanley earned the gold medal and also the World Championships qualification in an astonishing time of 1:50.25 minutes. The event saw an upset, as the fastest qualifying swimmer Andrew McMillan
ended fourth, while the silver medal was earned by the fifth fastest qualifying swimmer, Velimir Stjepanovic, in 1:50.78 minutes. Aquabladz Swim Club’s Dylan Dunlop Barrett won the bronze medal in 1:51.17 minutes and qualified in the New Zealand relay team
to compete at Shanghai.
Moments later, the Women’s 100m breast-stroke also encountered similar upsets for the second and third places. North Canterbury Swim Club’s Natasha Lloyd retained her fastest spot in an improved time of 1:11.78 minutes to earn the gold medal. In the meantime,
the fifth fastest qualifying swimmer, Kelly Briden, eliminated the top contender for the silver medal with her timing of 1:12.63 minutes. The same happened for the bronze medal, when Grace Francis eliminated Claire Burgess in a time of 1:12.68 minutes.
Next was the Men’s 100m backstroke, where North Shore’s Daniel Bell earned his spot for China by conquering the gold medal in a time of 54.40 seconds. Bell won the gold medal with almost a one-second lead from Capital Swim Club’s Gareth Kean, who touched
the wall in 55.02 seconds. Howick Pakuranga’s Corey Main reached the podium for the bronze medal with a timing of 57.53 seconds.
The last event of the day was the Women’s 1500m freestyle that had only seven finalists trying to earn the gold spot. Howick Pakuranga’s Cara baker earned the gold medal for the event in a stunning time of 16:25.77 minutes ahead of Waves’s Stefannie Gillespie
and Kiwi’s Bridget Maher, who touched the wall in 17:22.69 and 17:40.79 minutes, respectively.
The championship will continue for four more days to complete the New Zealand team for Shanghai.
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