SNZ Events
Epic Swim
High Performance
SNZ Events
Epic Swim
High Performance
Paralympics gold medallist Mary Fisher set her third world record at the State New Zealand Swimming Championships in Auckland this morning.
Fisher, 20, from Wellington’s Capital Club, took more than 10 seconds off the world record in the 200m butterfly. She clocked 2:50.93 to smash the previous mark which stood at 3:01.10.
Fisher said she had concentrated on butterfly following the Paralympics which has set her up for her world record blitz this week.
“It’s good now that our world championships are aligned to the FINA world championships that means we can come here to qualify,” Fisher said.
“It’s been great to be part of it and get such awesome support. I also had my family, friends and flatmates come up from Wellington so the support has been fantastic.”
Fisher hopes to add to her world record tally before the conclusion of the championships on Friday with the next target the 100m butterfly.
“That is a pretty tough record held by a British swimmer for some time but it is definitely within my reach if I can swim well. It is an event at the World Championships in Canada so it would be helpful to do well.
“After the championships I will get back into more work to build up my other strokes for the world championships.”
World Champion Lauren Boyle dominated heats of the 800m freestyle to clock 8:37.54, just outside the FINA qualifying time for the world championships but in a class of her own.
In other heat swims Beckie Dooley (Jasi) edged out 100m champion Abbie Johnston (Aquagym) in 33.51 in the 50m breaststroke, Kurt Bassett (Laser Mt Eden) topped champion Gareth Kean (Capital) in the 50m backstroke in 25.71 while Tirol Palmer (North Shore) was the only swimmer under 30 seconds in the women’s 50m backstroke.
Olympian Matthew Stanley (Matamata) was fastest in heats of the 100m freestyle in 50.62 with Wellington’s Samantha Lee (Capital) quickest in the women’s 200m butterfly in 2:15.52. North Shore’s Mitchell Donaldson edged Otago’s Kurt Crosland in the 200m individual medley (2:04.73).
North Shore’s Hayley Palmer pipped her clubmate Samantha Richter in the heats of the 50m freestyle in 25.71.
In Athletes with Disability heats, Sophie Pascoe (QEII) was fastest in the heats of the 50m freestyle and Daniel Holt (North Shore) quickest in the 50m freestyle. Australian Michael Anderson clocked 1:05.10 to be best in the 100m backstroke and Tayla Clement (North Shore) fastest in the women’s 400m freestyle heats.
The fourth night of finals starts at 6.30pm tonight.
Full results: www.swimmingnz.org.nz
For further information contact:
IAN HEPENSTALL Media ManagerSwimming NZ High PerformanceSports Media NZ LtdTel 09 2327822Mob 0275 613181
Skype: kiwiheps
