Boyle, Stanley on podium in Glasgow shakedown

Commonwealth Games swimming hopes Lauren Boyle and Matthew Stanley were on the podium on the second day of the French Open Championships in Vichy today.

Both finished with bronze medals in the 400m freestyle and 200m freestyle respectively as most of the New Zealand team had strong hit-outs ahead of Glasgow.

Following on from her victory in the favoured 800m freestyle yesterday, Boyle placed third in the 400m freestyle behind current double world medley champion Katinka Hosszu from Hungary and Olympic medallist Coralie Balmy from France. Boyle clocked a solid 4:11.23 for her efforts.

Stanley, finding form since arriving from Australia last week, followed his podium in the 400m freestyle with third placing in the 200m freestyle. Australian hope David McKeon claimed the honours in 1:48.34 from Frenchman Clement Cote with Stanley third in 1:49.55, just over two seconds off his best.

Glasgow-bound Kiwis qualified for seven other A finals on the second day of competition in Vichy.

Samantha Lee was fourth in the 200m butterfly in 2:15.44; Emma Robinson was fifth in the 400m freestyle in 4:124.68; Steven Kent placed fifth in the 200m freestyle in 1:50.24 with Samantha Lucie-Smith seventh in the 100m freestyle clocking 56.72.

North Shore’s Laura Quilter showed her versatility to place eighth in the 50m butterfly (27.33), 100m backstroke (1:04.92) and 100m freestyle (56.83). She also combined with Stanley, Kent and Lucie-Smith to finish third in the mixed 4x100m freestyle relay in 3:37.55, just pipping the other New Zealand combination of Ewan Jackson, Mitchell Donaldson, Lee and Tash Hind.

The New Zealand team now head to Mallorca, where they will be joined by American-based Glenn Snyders and Corey Main, for the staging camp ahead of the Commonwealth Games starting on 24 July.