Day four of the New Zealand Short Course Championships was another great day in the pool for our Otago team, bringing home seven medals and breaking four Otago records over the course of the day. 

Esme Paterson (Neptune) successfully defended her national short course title in the 200m Butterfly, dominating the field to win by a margin of more than three seconds from the next New Zealander. Kale Twist (Kiwi) and Erika Fairweather (Neptune) put on classy displays in the 100m Freestyle, breaking their respective Otago Records twice over the course of the day on the way to podium finishes. Neo Salomonsson (Kiwi) continued his strong form, lowering another Otago Record on his busiest day of competition.

To round of the day, the Neptune Swim Club 4x50m Medley Relay team demolished the longstanding Otago Record on their way to claiming fourth place. The previous record was set in 2011.

Morning Age Group Timed Finals & Open Heats

The morning started off with a bang, with Neo Salomonsson (Kiwi) lowering his own Otago Age Record in the 50m Backstroke to claim the bronze medal in the 14 years age group. It was a tidy swim, with Neo taking five hundredths of a second of his previous best. Luisa Palmer (Wanaka) also had a strong showing, taking almost half a second off her personal best time to take fourth place in the 13 years age group, narrowly missing out on the podium by just a few hundredths. Alfie Weatherston Harvey (Kiwi) and Liam Rees (Alexandra) both had strong performances, placing 7th in the 15 years and 16 years age groups, respectively. Weatherston Harvey took a few tenths of a second off his best time, a great achievement after taking on a heavy program in the previous days. William Schurink (Wanaka) continued his exceptional form with another personal best time, slashing more than a second off his previous best, while Nicole Lockie (Neptune) also produced a personal best time. 

Esme Paterson (Neptune) delivered a controlled heats swim in the 200m Butterfly, easily securing her spot in the evening's A Final where she looks to defend her national title from last year. And it was a new personal best time for Emilia Finer (Neptune) in the 17-18 years age group, slicing two tenths of a second off her previous best on her way to taking fourth place. 

Just over half an hour off after his 50m Backstroke swim, Neo Salomonsson (Kiwi) was back in the pool taking on the gruelling 200m Butterfly. It was another stellar performance from Salomonsson, earning the gold medal in the 14 years age group in a time just over his best which was set just a few weeks ago. Curtis Mellsop (Neptune) had a solid hit out in the open heats, securing his spot into the evening's B Final.

Caleb Ludlow (Alexandra) made it three for three in the 100m Breaststroke, taking the bronze in the 16 years age group. Ludlow successfully landed on the podium across all three distances of the stroke - a testament to his versatility as a breaststroker. Many of our Otago athletes produced impressive personal best times in the event... Olli McDiarmid-Jones (Oamaru) slashed an impressive two and half seconds off his best to place eighth in the 16 years age group. Emma Morton (Neptune) joined the party, taking two seconds off her best time to place sixth in the 17-18 years age group - a particularly impressive feat out of the unseeded heats. Lily McGrath (Neptune) posted a great personal best time on her way to placing fourth in the 13 years age group, taking two seconds off her entry time.

The morning rounded out with some exciting 100m Freestyle action, featuring two new Otago Records.

Kale Twist (Kiwi) got the ball rolling by breaking the Otago Open Record with a stunning time of 49.09, earning himself a spot in the evening's A Final. The previous record was set in 2013, by, now Swim Dunedin coach, Kurt Crosland. Not to be outdone, Erika Fairweather (Neptune) lowered her own Otago Record on the women's side with a time of 54.25. 

On the age group side, Luisa Palmer (Wanaka) convincingly won the silver medal in the 13 years age group, knocking one second off her personal best time along the way. Noah Brummitt (Kiwi) also had a magnificient swim in the 15 years age group, dropping more than half a second off his best time to place seventh in his age group.

And it was personal bests galore with the rest of the Otago field... Both Tom Gold (Neptune) and Poppy Henderson (Neptune) knocked a second off their entry times, while Malaika Ogbuehi (Neptune), Liam Rees (Alexandra), and Olli McDiarmid-Jones (Oamaru) also had strong showings, taking around half a second off their previous bests.

It was fantastic to see so many great swims at the pointy end of a busy week!

Evening Open Finals

The evening kick started with Kane Follows (Neptune) taking on the 50m Backstroke. It was a valiant effort for Follows, placing fourth amongst a classy field, just outside his personal best time. 

Esme Paterson (Neptune) was head and shoulders above the rest in the 200m Butterfly, knocking a second off her personal best time to comfortably take the gold medal. Her time of 2:11.97 was more than three seconds ahead of the closest New Zealander in the field. Curtis Mellsop (Neptune) and Nicole Lockie (Neptune) improved from their morning swims to claim 12th and 13th place, respectively. Emilia Finer (Neptune) put up a great effort to place 15th.

Lucy McKinnon (Neptune) put on a strong display in the 100m Breaststroke, finishing in fifth position in a time slightly outside her best. Emma Maultsaid (Neptune) had a late call up to fill a spot in the A Final, smashing her entry time with this surprise finals appearance. Emma Morton (Neptune) continued her spectacular form by posting another personal best time after her huge PB in the morning, placing 24th overall, while Meg McLaughlan had a solid race to take 16th position. Caleb Ludlow (Alexandra) and Olli McDiarmid-Jones (Oamaru) were also back in action, taking 18th and 27th place respectively. It was another strong performance from McDiarmid-Jones, lowering his personal best time for the second time over the day of racing.

Kale Twist (Kiwi) delivered a stunning 100m Freestyle to claim the bronze medal, equalling his Otago Record set earlier in the day. This is Twist's first national open medal, and a testament to all the hard work he has been putting in at training. Erika Fairweather (Neptune) also had an excellent race, breaking her Otago record set earlier in the day, and dipping under the 54 second mark to produce a time of 53.91 - taking home the gold medal. Rae Kwan (Neptune) and Eligh Ashby (Neptune) put up a good efforts in their respective C Finals to both place 23rd.

The 4x50m Medley Relays were exciting with the Neptune Swim Club team of Nicole Lockie, Lucy McKinnon, Esme Paterson, and Rae Kwan breaking a longstanding Otago Record on their way to placing fourth. The previous record was set in 2011 by a Neptune team as well. On the men's side, the Kiwi Swim Club team of Alfie Weatherston Harvey, Kale Twist, Neo Salomonsson, and Noah Brummitt, put on a great show as well, placing 11th - a great accomplishment with three out of four members of the team aged 15 years or under. Both Lockie and Weatherston Harvey got their teams off to a flying start, setting new personal best times on the opening leg of their respective relays.

Age Group Medallists

Open Medallists

Records Broken

Day Four Results

Article added: Friday 11 August 2023