Hunter targets third qualifying swim

Howick Pakuranga swimmer Daniel Hunter will be aiming for his third FINA World Championship (25m) qualifying swim on the final day of the Swimming New Zealand Short Course Championships in Auckland today.

Hunter topped heats of the 100m freestyle this morning in 48.58s at the Sir Owen G Glenn National Aquatic Centre on the North Shore.

The 22-year-old has had an impressive week already qualifying in the 50m and 200m freestyle and setting a New Zealand record in the 50m freestyle. He will need to go 48.01 tonight to get the third freestyle qualification.

Wilrich Coetzee (North Shore) will be going for his sixth title for the week after topping qualifiers in the men’s 200m butterfly.

Coetzee has already won the 100m, 200m, 400m individual medley, 100m backstroke and 100m butterfly as he chases the 200m butterfly title tonight and a final chance of qualification for the world championships in December.

Teenage swim star Gabrielle Fa’amausili (United) will also have qualification in her sights after topping qualifiers in the 50m backstroke in 27.75.

In the women’s 100m freestyle Rio Olympian Helena Gasson (North Shore) was fastest in 55.86 ahead of 15-year-old Chelsey Edwards (SwimZone) and Paige Schendelaar-Kemp (Howick Pakuranga).

The women’s 200m butterfly heats were topped by Australian Emily Washer (2:10.53) from North Shore’s Yeonsu Lee (2:13.45) and Schendelaar-Kemp (2:15.48).

North Shore swimmers continued to top qualifiers in the men’s 50m backstroke with Corneille Coetzee and Finn Kennard-Campbell the quickest from heats in 24.94 and 25.31 respectively.

Tonight’s finals session begins at 6pm.

NZ Short Course Championships