Young swimmers claim medals in Melbourne

New Zealand swimmers picked up two gold medals and two podiums on the first day of the Victorian Age Championships in Melbourne.

Eighty-six New Zealand swimmers from 33 clubs have headed across the Tasman this week for the Victorian Age Championships in Melbourne and the Queensland Championships in Brisbane.

Auckland’s Imogen Rodgers (Parnell, Auckland) won the 15 years 200m backstroke in 2:19:78 while Waikato’s Ben Littlejohn (St Paul’s Swimming) won the 14 years 100m butterfly in 1:00.46.

The Waikato’s Kaitlyn Steedman (Ace) was second in the 16 years 200m butterfly while Howick Pakuranga’s Ryan Oliver was second in the 13 years 200m breaststroke.

The Queensland Championships begin today.

Swimmers who qualified for finals on day one at Melbourne were:

Boys 16 yrs 200 Butterfly: Danyon Hardie (Ace, Waikato) 6th 2:14.10;

Girls 16 yrs 200 Butterfly: Kaitlyn Steedman (Ace) 2nd 2:24.10, Isobel Avis (Parnell, Auckland) 7th 2:32.46;

Boys 17-18 yrs 50 Freestyle: Joshua Taylor-Martin Enterprise, Gisborne) 8th 24.21;

Boys 14 yrs 200 Medley: Ben Littlejohn (St Paul’s, Waikato) 4th 2:21.05;

Girls 15 years 200 backstroke: Imogen Rodgers (Parnell) 1st 2:19.78;

Boys 14 years 100 Butterfly: Ben Littlejohn (St Paul’s) 1st 1:00.46;

Boys 13 years 200 breaststroke: Ryan Oliver (Howick Pakuranga, Counties Manukau) 2nd 2:36.51;

Girls 13 years 200 breaststroke: Eleanor Gilbert (Stratford, Taranaki) 6th 2:52.89;

Boys 17-18 400 Freestyle: Andrew Jeffcoat (Fairfield, Waikato) 5th 4:14.62;

Girls 17-18 400 Freestyle: Claudia Ashby (Fairfield) 5th 4:35.50.