Wharenui swim club retain national division two honours

The Wharenui Swim Club from Christchurch has defended the trophy for top club at the New Zealand Division Two swimming competition at Invercargill.

The acclaimed Canterbury club was the home for many New Zealand swim stars of the past including Jaynie Hudgell (formerly Parkhouse), Susan Hunter, Mark Treffers and Lydia Lipscombe.

Wharenui finished with 868 points to retain the trophy the club won in Dunedin last year, finishing ahead of Te Awamutu 755, Howick Pakuranga 730, TBSS Central City (Auckland) 551 and Aquagym (Christchurch) 547.

Pukekohe’s Tarnisha Robertson finished with the perfect five golds from five swims, with the 15 year old winning the 400m individual medley on the final day to go with her previous four wins to complete an unbeaten week.

Most medals in the female competition went to North Canterbury’s Tamara Gurden and Timaru’s Olivia Moore with six each.

Gurden, 17, was second in the 50m freestyle to complete her successful programme with four gold medals and two silver, while Moore, 15, won the 100m butterfly and was third in the medley to complete her six-medal haul.

Robertson claimed five medals along with fellow Pukekohe club swimmer Holly Hogan, 18, who won both the 100m butterfly and 400m medley on the final day, and Queenstown’s Gabby White, 14, who claimed two medals on the last day.

Leading the way in the boys’ competition was Auckland 14 year old Bede Aitu (TBSS Central City) with nine medals. He won the 100m butterfly and was third in the 200m breaststroke yesterday to finish with seven gold medals, one silver and one bronze in an outstanding week.

He was closely followed by Howick Pakuranga’s Reuben McKay, 15, who won the 50m freestyle on the last day to finish with four gold and three silver medals.

Sharing six medals each was 15 year old Jack Ward (Central Hawkes Bay) with four gold and two silver and 13 year old Nicholas Lott (Howick Pakuranga, who won three gold medals, two silver and a bronze.

The talent was well spread throughout the competition with 38 girls and 30 boys each winning at least one title and 122 swimmers claiming medals.

Leading final club points: Wharenui 868, Te Awamutu 755, Howick Pakuranga 730, TBSS Central City 551, Aquagym 547, Masterton 482, North Canterbury 434, Selwyn 419, Coast 416, Timaru 415, Pukekohe 383, Vikings 372, Orca 352, Tawa 324, Greendale 267.

NZ Division II