Two Medals on Final Day as McGrath Takes Down Otago Age Record
Event Recap
The final day of racing at the 2024 New Zealand Age Group Championships did not disappoint, with our Otago athletes picking up another two medals, setting 15 personal best times, and breaking an Otago Age Group Record! A huge congratulations to all of our Otago athletes that raced today, and throughout the week - each and every one of you have done your club, and Otago, so proud!
A big congratulations to Lily McGrath (Neptune) on breaking the Otago Age Group Record today in the Female 14 Years 50m Breaststroke! Lily took down Madison Wills' record from 2019, becoming the youngest female in Otago history to break the 35 second barrier in the event. Lily's stunning time of 34.80 earned her a well deserved silver medal.
Alfie Weatherston Harvey (Kiwi) rounded out his phenomenal week of racing by securing another medal - this time silver in the Male 16 Years 400m Freestyle. Congratulations, Alfie!
There were a number of other fantastic performances across day five of racing. Here are some of the highlights...
- William McFarlane (Neptune) continued his stellar form, lodging two personal best times over the course of heats and finals in the 400m Freestyle
- Oliver Isles (Kiwi) had impressive swims in the 50m Breaststroke and 100m Backstroke, knocking two seconds off his previous best time in both events
- Hinato Watanabe (Wanaka) had a great showing in the 50m Breaststroke, slashing his personal best time by over a second
- Stella Harper (Wanaka) powered her way to two personal best times in the 50m Breaststroke across heats and finals, slicing one second off her entry time
- Olivia McBride (Kiwi) shaved a couple tenths of a second off her personal best time in the 50m Breaststroke
- William Schurink (Wanaka) had another day of double personal best times, scraping half a second off his best time in the 100m Backstroke across heats and finals
- Lara Bradford (Alexandra) set a new long course PB in the 100m Backstroke
- Heidi Winter (Alexandra) lowered her best time by over a second in the 100m Backstroke, setting new best times in the heat and final
Day Five Medallists
| Alfie Weatherston Harvey - Kiwi 🥈 Male 16 Years 400m Freestyle | Lily McGrath - Neptune 🥈 Female 14 Years 50m Breaststroke |
Otago Records Broken on Day Five
Female 14 Years LC 50m Breaststroke Previous record held by Madison Wills at 35.06, set in 2019 |
Day Five Results
Note: PBs noted are based on long course personal best times
| Athlete | Age | Club | Heat | Final | Placing | ||
| M 400 FR | William McFarlane | 15 | NEP | 4:23.20 | 4:22.94 | 6th | 2xPB |
| Alfie Weatherston Harvey | 16 | KIW | 4:24.40 | 4:14.11 | 2nd | - | |
| Taka Sugiyama | 16 | KIW | 4:32.11 | - | 13th | - | |
| M 50 BR | Oliver Isles | 13 | KIW | 33.89 | 34.72 | 7th | PB |
| Hinato Watanabe | 15 | WSC | 33.45 | - | 14th | PB | |
| Caleb Ludlow | 17 | ALX | 31.39 | 31.36 | 10th | - | |
| F 50 BR | Stella Harper | 13 | WSC | 38.14 | 37.82 | 8th | 2xPB |
| Lara Bradford | 13 | ALX | 39.88 | - | 14th | - | |
| Lily McGrath | 14 | NEP | 35.08 | 34.80 | 2nd | 2xPB | |
| Olivia McBride | 15 | KIW | 35.73 | 35.87 | 5th | PB | |
| M 100 BK | Oliver Isles | 13 | KIW | 1:10.92 | - | 13th | PB |
| William Schurink | 16 | WSC | 1:02.29 | 1:01.94 | 7th | 2xPB | |
| Liam Rees | 17-18 | ALX | 1:00.72 | 1:01.24 | 10th | - | |
| F 100 BK | Lara Bradford | 13 | ALX | 1:13.85 | - | 13th | PB |
| Luisa Palmer | 14 | WSC | 1:10.38 | 1:10.45 | 4th | - | |
| Heidi Winter | 15 | ALX | 1:08.56 | 1:08.47 | 6th | 2xPB |
Article added: Friday 19 April 2024
