Thirteen Otago athletes competed at the New Zealand Secondary School Swimming Championships in Hamilton from 24-27 July, gaining valuable racing experience as they work toward their target competitions for the 2025/26 season.

It was a successful outing for Otago, with our athletes bringing home nine medals, 32 new personal best times, and 25 top-ten placings throughout the championships, in addition to a handful of qualifying times for the upcoming New Zealand Short Course Championships. A shout-out to Otago Girls’ High School student Ivy Weatherston Harvey (Neptune), who achieved personal best times in all five of her events. What an accomplishment! 

Mount Aspiring College swimmer Hana Carnie (Wānaka) picked up right where she left off last season, winning gold in all four of her individual events. On the third day of the championships, she broke her own Otago Age Group Record in the 200m Backstroke, set in April, clocking 2:16.88. Later that day, she edged out Louise Palmer’s (Wānaka) record in the 50m Backstroke by one hundredth of a second, finishing in 30.40. A fantastic effort—congratulations, Hana!

Sophia McClintock (Wānaka), also from Mount Aspiring College, delivered a strong performance across her four events, setting a new Otago Age Group Record in the 50m Butterfly. Sophia stopped the clock in a time of 29.67, shaving fourteen hundredths off the previous mark. She also came away with four medals and set three new personal bests. Well done, Sophia!

Alfie Weatherston Harvey (Kiwi), a King’s High School student who recently represented New Zealand in the Trans-Tasman Tri Series, started strong with a silver medal in the 400m Freestyle on day one. Unfortunately, illness forced him to withdraw from the remainder of the meet.

Congratulations to all our competitors - you have certainly made your schools, clubs, and region proud!

Otago medalists at the 2025 New Zealand Secondary School Swimming Championships were:

• Hana Carnie (Wanaka) – Mount Aspiring College
  🥇 Female 13 Years 100m Backstroke

          🥇 Female 13 Years 100m Freestyle

          🥇 Female 13 Years 200m Backstroke (Otago Age Group Record)

          🥇 Female 13 Years 50m Backstroke (Otago Age Group Record)

• Sophia McClintock (Wanaka) – Mount Aspiring College
  🥇 Female 13 Years 50m Butterfly (Otago Age Group Record)

          🥇 Female 13 Years 100m Butterfly

          🥈 Female 13 Years 200m Butterfly

          🥉 Female 13 Years 100m Freestyle 

• Alfie Weatherston Harvey (Kiwi) – Kings High School
  🥈 Male 17 & Over Years 400m Freestyle
   

Congratulations to all our competitors - you have certainly made your schools, clubs, and region proud!

🔗 Link to all the Results 

🔗 Link to Championship Photos Photo credit (must tag): Swimming NZ and Deborah McKay Montgomery

The next competition on the calendar is the Otago Short Course Championships, taking place on the 9 & 10 August in Dunedin. Entries close on Thursday, 31 July at 11:59pm, so make sure to get your entries in now!

Article added: Monday 28 July 2025