Seven Kiwi swimmers qualify for last day finals

New Zealand swimmers will contest seven further finals on the last day of competition in the pool at the fifth Youth Commonwealth Games in Samoa today.

Double gold medallist Wilrich Coetzee leads the way, qualifying sixth fastest in heats of the 200m individual medley in 2:12.89, with fellow North Shore clubmate Yeonsu Lee qualifying seventh fastest in the same event for women in 2:23.60.

Howick Pakuranga’s Mario Koenigsperger will contest two finals tonight, qualifying sixth fastest in the 50m freestyle and seventh in the 200m breaststroke.

The 50m backstroke winner and junior world champion Gabrielle Fa’amausili was fourth fastest in heats of the 50m freestyle in 26.84s with Bayley Main fifth fastest in the men’s 50m freestyle in 23.81s.

Taranaki’s Eliot Lundon-Moore qualified sixth in the 200m breaststroke, with only half a second separating the second to sixth placed qualifiers.

Auckland’s Annabelle Paterson clocked 9:06.65 to win the first group in the timed final of the women’s 800m freestyle with the fast heat to be swum on the evening programme.

CAPTION: Yeonsu Lee in action.