Photo: Debbie Fahey Photography
Medals, Record-Breakers, and a PB Frenzy for Otago Athletes at the South Island LC Champs
Event Recap
Forty-two Otago athletes made the journey south to compete in the 2025 South Island Long Course Championships, held at Splash Palace, Invercargill, from 21-23 February. Across the three-day competition, our athletes delivered outstanding performances, securing 105 medals - including 19 South Island Champion titles from the 32 events contested.
A standout moment came when Neo Salomonsson (Kiwi) etched his name into the record books, breaking the Otago Male 16 Years 50m Butterfly record. His impressive time of 25.49 seconds shaved more than four-tenths off the previous record, set by Andrew McMillan (Cromwell) in 2002. Congratulations Neo!
Throughout the competition, 52 Meet Records were broken, with twenty-two achieved by Otago athletes. Check out the South Island Long Course Records here. Congratulations to you all!
Beyond the podium finishes, Otago athletes showed remarkable progress in the pool, recording 107 new personal bests, based on entry times, from 187 entries. Ivy Weatherston Harvey (Neptune) led the charge, achieving an incredible nine PBs. Close behind were Victoria Aburn (Neptune) with eight and Hugo Beeby (Neptune) with seven. Well done to all our athletes on their continued hard work and determination!
A special thank you to our Technical Officials and Timekeepers for supporting Swimming Southland in delivering this year's Long Course Championships. Your commitment to the sport is invaluable—these competitions wouldn't be possible without you!
SOUTH ISLAND OVERALL CHAMPIONS
Alfie Weatherston Harvey (KIW) 🏆 Male Open 1500m Freestyle |
Neo Salomonsson (KIW) 🏆 Male Open 50m Butterfly 🏆 Male Open 100m Butterfly🏆 Male Open 200m Butterfly |
Caitlin Deans (NEP) |
Caleb Ludlow (ALX) |
Esme Paterson (NEP) 🏆 Female Open 100m Butterfly🏆 Female Open 200m Butterfly |
Kane Follows (NEP) 🏆 Male Open 50m Backstroke🏆 Male Open 200m Backstroke |
Charlotte Aburn (NEP) 🏆 Female Open 400m Freestyle |
Liam Rees (KIW) 🏆 Male Open 200m Individual Medley |
Lily McGrath (NEP) 🏆 Female Open 50m Breaststroke |
Sophie Wellington (KIW) 🏆 Female Open 200m Backstroke |
Tom Gold (NEP) 🏆 Male Open 50m Freestyle |
SOUTH ISLAND CHAMPIONSHIP MEDALISTS
50m Freestyle Male 17 & over: 🥇 Tom Gold (NEP) 🥈 Liam Rees (KIW) Male 15-16: 🥇 Neo Salomonsson (KIW) Male 12-14: 🥈 Oliver Isles (KIW) Female 15-16: 🥇 Charlotte Aburn (NEP) 🥈 Abby Samuels (KIW) Female 12-14: 🥇 Sophia McClintock (WSC) 🥈 Annalise Miller (NEP) 🥉 Victoria Aburn (NEP) |
100m Freestyle Male 17 & over: 🥇 Noah Brummit (KIW) Male 15-16: 🥇 Neo Salomonsson (KIW) Female 15-16: 🥇Charlotte Aburn (NEP) 🥈 Bella McEntyre (TAI) 🥉 Abby Samuels (KIW) Female 12-14: 🥈 Annalise Miller (NEP) |
200m Freestyle Male 17 & over: 🥇Alfie Weatherson Harvey (KIW) Male 15-16: 🥇 Neo Salomonsson (KIW) Female 17 & over: 🥇 Caitlin Deans (NEP) 🥈 Esme Paterson (NEP) Female 15-16: 🥇 Charlotte Aburn (NEP) 🥈 Bella McEntyre (TAI) 🥉 Abby McBride (KIW) Female 12-14: 🥇 Annalise Miller (NEP) 🥈 Victoria Aburn (NEP) |
400m Freestyle Male 17 & over: 🥇Alfie Weatherston Harvey (KIW) 🥈Taka Sugiyama (KIW) Male 15-16: 🥉William McFarlane (KIW) Female 15-16: 🥇Charlotte Aburn (NEP) 🥈Bella McEntyre (TAI) Female 12-14: 🥇Victoria Aburn (NEP) 🥈Annalise Miller (NEP) 🥉Stella Harper (WSC) |
800m Freestyle Male 17 & over: 🥇Alfie Weatherston Harvey (KIW) Male 15-16: 🥇William McFarlane (KIW) 🥉Owen Jack (NEP) Male 12-14: 🥈Fletcher McCall (NEP) Female 17 & over: 🥇Caitlin Deans (NEP) Female 15-16: 🥇Bella McEntyre (TAI) |
1500m Freestyle Male 17 & over: 🥇Alfie Weatherston Harvey (KIW) |
50m Backstroke Male 17 & over: 🥇Kane Follows (NEP) 🥈Liam Rees (ALX) Male 15-16: 🥉Neo Salomonsson (KIW) Male 12-14: 🥉Oliver Isles (KIW) Female 15-16: 🥉Lily McGrath (NEP) Female 12-14: 🥇Eiv Isles (KIW) 🥉Lara Bradford (WSC) |
100m Backstroke Male 17 & over: 🥇Liam Rees (ALX) Female 12-14: 🥈Sophie Wellington (KIW) 🥉Eivi Isles (KIW) |
200m Backstroke Male 17 & over: 🥇Kane Follows (NEP) 🥈Liam Rees (ALX) Female 12-14: 🥇Sophie Wellington (KIW) 🥈Stella Harper (WSC) |
50m Breaststroke Male 17 & over: 🥇Caleb Ludlow (ALX) Male 15-16: 🥇Hinato Watanabe (WSC) Male 12-14: 🥇Oliver Isles (KIW) Female 15-16: 🥇Lily McGrath (NEP) 🥈Lara Bradford (WSC) 🥉Olvia McBride (KIW) |
100m Breaststroke Male 17 & over: 🥇Caleb Ludlow (ALX) Male 15-16:🥉Hinato Watanabe (WSC) Male 12-14: 🥇Hugo Beeby (NEP) Female 15-16: 🥈Lily McGrath (NEP) 🥉Olivia McBride (KIW) Female 12-14: 🥉Stella Harper (WSC) |
200m Breaststroke Male 17 & over: 🥈Caleb Ludlow (ALX) Male 12-14: 🥇Hugo Beeby (NEP) Female 15-16: 🥇Lily McGrath (Nep) 🥉Elizabeth Warry (CRM) |
50m Butterfly Male 17 & over: 🥉Noah Brummitt (KIW) Male 15-16: 🥇Neo Salomonsson (KIW) Female 15-16: 🥇Liliy McGrath (NEP) 🥈Abby Samuels (KIW) Female 12-14: 🥇Sophia McClnkock (WSC) 🥈Ivy Weatherston Harvey (NEP) |
100m Butterfly Male 17 & over: 🥉Noah Brummitt (KIW) Male 15-16: 🥇Neo Salomonsson (KIW) Female 17 & over: 🥇Esme Paterson (NEP) Female 12-14: 🥇Sophia McClnkock (WSC) |
200m Butterfly Male 15-16: 🥇Neo Salomonsson (KIW) Female 17 & over: 🥇Esme Paterson (NEP) |
200m Individual Medley Male 17 & over: 🥇Liam Rees (KIW) Female 15-16: 🥈Lily McGrath (NEP) |
400m Individual Medley Male 17 & over: 🥈 Taka Sugiyama (KIW) Male 12-14: 🥇Hugo Beeby (NEP) 🥈Mark Lauko (QTN) |
👉 Click to view all the results
📷 Click to view the photos from the weekend
Congratulations to all our Otago athletes on a fantastic championship!
Alexandra Swimming Club: Caleb Ludlow, Isaac Woodward
Cromwell Swim Club: Leo Calver, Jessi Cook, Elizabeth Warry
Kiwi ASC: Noah Brummitt, Eivi Isles, Oliver Isles, Abby McBride, Olivia McBride, William McFarlane, Liam Rees, Neo Salomonsson, Abby Samuels, Taka Sugiyama, Alfe Weatherston Harvey, Sophie Wellington
Neptune Swim Club: Charlotte Aburn, Victoria Aburn, Hugo Beeby, Caitlin Deans, Kane Follows, Tom Gold, Owen Jack, Hannah Ker-Fox, Fletcher McCall, Lily McGrath, Annalise Miller, Isabella Miller, Esme Paterson, Ivy Weatherston Harvey
Queenstown Swimming Club: Emme Aung Kyi, Finn Henderson, Mark Lauko
South Otago Sharks: Kaiya Nakajima
Taieri Swimming Club: Evie Glmour, Isabella McEntyre, Barrett Smart
Wanaka Swimming Club: Lara Bradford, Stella Harper, Sophie McClintock, Hinato Watanabe
Looking for your next racing opportunity? Don't miss the NZ Division II Competition on 21-23 March—individual entries close on 11 March at 11:59PM. Alternatively, if you want to stay closer to home, Race with the Reps is on Sunday, 23 March, with entries closing on Thursday, 13 March, at 11:59PM.
Interested in becoming a Technical Official? Visit our web page, or for more information, email us at admin@swimotago.org.
