Day four of the New Zealand Short Course Championships was another successful one in the pool for our Otago team, collectively securing six medals and a whole lot of personal best times over the course of the day. 

It was another strong day in the pool for Neo Salomonsson (Kiwi), who obliterated two Otago Age Records - resetting the 100m Freestyle and 200m Butterfly marks. Esme Paterson (Neptune) has another storng showing to pick up her second open gold of the championships and notch a 'B' qualifying times for the World Aquatics Swimming Championships (25m) later this year. 

Morning Age Group Timed Finals & Open Heats

The morning started with the 50m Backstroke splash and dash. Neo Salomonsson (Kiwi) broke the 27-second barrier to touch in 26.95, only a couple of hundredths outside of the Otago Age Record, while teammate Alfie Weatherston Harvey (Kiwi) also lowered his personal best time. Luisa Palmer (Wanaka) continued her exceptional form, taking silver and securing a spot in the evening finals session in the 14 years age group. Sophie Wellington (Kiwi) set the pool on fire notching a big personal best in the 13 years age group to win her first national medal, earning bronze in a time of 31.91. Competing in her sole event of the championships, Lara Bradford (Alexandra) also produced a personal best time.

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 silver medal and smashing his Otago record in the 15 years age group by almost two and half seconds with a time of 2:06.33. A superb reaction time to start the race set Hugo Beeby (Neptune) up to earn his sixth personal best time of the competition and a well-deserved fourth place in the 13-year age group. Esme Paterson (Neptune) swam a controlled heat in the 200m Butterfly, easily securing her spot in the evening's final, where she looks to defend her national title from last year. Team mate Emilia Finer (Neptune) also progressed through to the A Final, who Ana Tarapi (Neptune) secured her first evening swim of the championships.

Next up was the 100m Breaststroke, where our athletes performed well, achieving many new personal best times. Caleb Ludlow (Alexandra) placed eighth in the 17-18 years age group to secure a lane in the open B Final. Lily McGrath (Neptune) was just off the podium, taking fourth in the 14 years age group, however progressed through to the evening finals alongside Sophie Winter (Alexandra).

The morning rounded out with some exciting 100m Freestyle action. Neo Salomonsson (Kiwi) took gold in the 15 years age group, smashing the Otago record by over a second with a time of 51.92. The record was previously held by Courtland Ellis and had stood for nine years. Kale Twist (Kiwi) did enough to secure a lane in the A Final, while Neptune’s Tom Gold produced a new personal best time to secure a spot in the B Final. Luisa Palmer (Wanaka) secured her fifth silver medal in the 14 years age group, and will be joined by Heidi Winter (Alexandra) and Charlotte Aburn (Neptune) in the evening's C Final.

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

Evening Open Finals

Our first athlete in the water tonight was Wanaka’s Luisa Palmer in the 50m Backstroke. The C Final was thrilling, with several athletes tying for places at the finish. Palmer was among them, tying for first place with an improved personal best time of 30.04.

Esme Paterson (Neptune) was head and shoulders above the rest of the New Zealanders in the 200m Butterfly, comfortably taking the gold medal in a time of 2:12.58. Finishing more than two and a half seconds ahead of the closest New Zealander in the field, Paterson earned a B qualifying time for the World Aquatics Swimming Championships (25m) to be held in Budapest later this year. Emilia Finer (Neptune) improved on her morning swim to claim 9th place.

The 100m Breaststroke was next on the schedule, where Caleb Ludlow (Alexandra) lowered his time from the morning to take seventh place in the B Final. In the C Final, Neptune’s Lily McGrath improved on her morning swim to stop the clock in fourth place, while Sophie Winter (Alexandra), finished in ninth in the same heat.

Kale Twist (Kiwi) put up a great fight against some of the fastest freestylers in the country, taking seventh place in the A final. Tom Gold (Neptune) dipped under the 52-second barrier for the second time today to lodge a new personal best time of 51.89. Luisa Palmer (Wanaka) delivered another strong performance to take third place in the C Final finishing just ahead of fellow Otago athletes Charlotte Aburn (Neptune) and Heidi Winter (Alexandra) who took fourth and sixth place, respectively.

The 4x50m Medley relays were exciting with the Kiwi Swim Club team of Alfie Weatherston Harvey, Taka Sugiyama, Neo Salomonsson, and Noah Brummitt putting on a great show to place 16th, featuring a blistering sub-24 second anchor leg from Brummitt. The Neptune Swim Club  team of Emilia Finer, Lily McGrath, Esme Paterson and Charlotte Aburn secured a strong tenth place finish, with Finer setting a new personal best time in the lead-off leg while Aburn anchored the team home in a storming sub-27 second leg.

We can't wait to see what our athletes bring for the final day of the competition!

Age Group Medalists

Neo Salomonsson (Kiwi)

🥇 Men's 15 Years 100m Freestyle

🥈 Men's 15 Years 200m Butterfly

Luisa Palmer (Wanaka)
🥈 Women's 14 Years 50m Backstroke 

🥈 Women's 14 Years 100m Freestyle

Sophie Wellington (Kiwi)

🥉 Women's 13 Years 50m Backstroke

Open Medalists

Esme Paterson (Neptune)
🥇 Women's 200m Butterfly

Records Broken

Neo Salomonsson (Kiwi)
Male 15 Years 200m Butterfly - 2:06.33

Male 15 Years 100m Freestyle - 51.92

Day Four Results

Article added: Friday 23 August 2024