Wellington College make strong start in State NZ Schools Swim Champs

Wellington College have made a strong start in defence of their overall honours in the State New Zealand Secondary School Swimming Championships in Hamilton.

The Wellington school lead local Waikato school St Peters with Westlake Boys third just ahead of Westlake Girls following the first of four sessions at Waterworld Te Rapa.

Leading individuals were Carlos Aguilera Cortes (Auckland Grammar) and Yeonsu Lee (Westlake Girls) who both won three titles today. Cortes, 13, won the 200m freestyle, 50m backstroke in a championship records and the 200m butterfly, also in a new record.

Lee, 13, deadheated the 50m backstroke, won the 200m breaststroke and 100m freestyle in championship records.

There were 16 championship records established on the opening day, two of them going to outstanding Auckland prospect Hayden Church, 14 (St Kentigern) in the 200m freestyle and 100m backstroke.

Another to the fore was Auckland’s Caroline Baddock, 17, who set a record in the 50m backstroke and also won the 50m backstroke skins final, while William Campbell (Christchurch Boys HS) took out the boys’ skins final.

The winners did not all come from the major colleges with titles going to the likes of Carmel College, Hauraki Plains, Villa Maria, Western Springs College and Aquinas College.

Wellington College pushed into their first day lead with three individual wins plus victory in the medley relay, while Baradene took out the girls’ medley relay.

There are two further sessions tomorrow with the final session on Sunday morning.