FINA World 25m Swimming Championships - NZ Day 3 Heats

Three New Zealand swimmers are through to finals on the third night of the FINA World Short Course Championships in Turkey.

World champion Lauren Boyle, with just a few hours sleep following her exciting victory in the 800m freestyle, has qualified fifth fastest for the final of the 400m freestyle. She won the fifth and final heat in a solid 4:04.83 ahead of the Olympic silver medallist in this distance Allison Schmitt (USA), who won five medals including three gold, and former world champion Lotte Friis (DEN).

However the favoured pair too it too easy and both missed out on a place in the final.

North Shore’s Melissa Ingram has qualified sixth fastest in the heats of her favoured 200m backstroke. She clocked a solid 2:05.20 in her heat swim, coming home strongly in the back half of the race.

Fellow Swimming New Zealand High Performance Centre swimmer Matthew Stanley also qualified in the 400m freestyle with an excellent 3:41.59 to be fifth fastest in the heats. This lowered his previous best by more than half a second.

Howick Pakuranga teenager Ewan Jackson, in his first open international event, was outside his best in the same event, clocking 3:46.00 and will not advance to the evening finals.

Christchurch’s Cameron Simpson, who made the semifinals in the 50m freestyle, did not advance out of the heats of the 50m butterfly to be 28th fastest in 23.97s.

The finals are from 6.30am NZ time tomorrow.

FINA World Championships (25m)