North Shore swimmer looks for breakthrough in final

North Shore swimmer Wilrich Coetzee will be looking for a major breakthrough when he contests his first final on the last night of the FINA World Junior Championships in Singapore.

The 18 year old clocked a massive personal best to qualify for the final of the 200m butterfly on the last morning of heats at the OCBC Aquatic Centre. Coetzee, coached by Thomas Ansorg, went 2:00.15 to be sixth fastest in the heats, more than two seconds off his lifetime best.

Coetzee, the only New Zealander in action tonight, will be looking to go under the two minute barrier in the final.

Earlier both Yeonsu Lee (North Shore) and Annabelle Paterson (United) did not advance in heats of the 200m freestyle. Lee was 27^th fastest in 2:04.82 while Paterson was only 35/100ths outside her previous best to be 31^st in 2:05.59.

CAPTION: Wilrich Coetzee in action. (The image is free for editorial use only. Credit: BW Media)