World champion heads line-up for national age group swimming

World junior champion Gabrielle Fa’amausili is among a talented group of the nation’s best emerging talent to compete in the Mayfair Pools New Zealand Age Group Championships in Wellington next week.

More than 550 swimmers will compete in the five day championships from next Tuesday at the Wellington Regional Aquatic Centre.

There is much at stake with the championships also doubling as the official trial for swimmers to gain selection for the biennial World Junior Championships in Singapore and the Commonwealth Youth Games in Samoa.

Fa’amausili, the 50m backstroke world champion, will be competing along with several young swimmers who have already emerged on the higher stage.

This includes fellow 15 year old Bobbi Gichard (Greendale, Hawkes Bay), who will compete in the world championships in Russia later this year.

Fa’amausili won the 50m backstroke title at the national championships while Gichard took out the 100m and 200m open titles.

The pair hold 15 current national age group records between them.

Also competing are members of the New Zealand team that won medals at the recent Australian Age Group Championships including 14 year old Mya Rasmussen (Kiwi West, Manawatu), Sam McKenzie (Tasman, Nelson), Annabelle Paterson, 16 (United, Auckland) and 13 year olds Chelsey Edwards (SwimZone, Hutt Valley) and Joshua Gilbert (Stratford).

The competition runs from Tuesday 5 May to Saturday 9 May. Heats sessions are from 9am daily with the finals each day from 6pm.

CAPTION: Gabrielle Fa'amausili. Credit: BW Media.

NZ Age Groups