Kiwis wrap up at the Pan Pacific Para-Swimming Championships with 9 gold medals

Last night (NZT) was the final day of competition at the Pan Pacific Para-Swimming Championships in California and saw an outstanding medal tally achieved by this talented team of young athletes - nine golds, two silver and two bronze medals for the NZ Para-Swim team. All swimmers also achieved personal best times over the five day meet.

Day five saw Mary Fisher add to her gold medal tally – taking it to six gold medals in all. Mary won the Women’s S11 100m Freestyle in a new personal best time of 1:08.79.

Nikita Howarth won her fourth medal, this time a bronze in the Women’s S7 100m Freestyle in a new personal best time of 1:16.62.

Two NZ Para-Swimmers raced the Women’s S9 100m Freestyle. Georgia Gray placed 6^th in a personal best time of 1:09.70 and Tayla Clement placed 8^th.

In the Women’s SB8 100m Breaststroke Nikita Howarth picked up her 5^th medal of the meet. This time she placed second in a time of 1:31.24, bringing Nikita’s medal tally to two gold, one silver and two bronze.

Paralympics New Zealand High Performance Director, Malcolm Humm said, “This was New Zealand’s largest contingent of swimmers that had been sent to the Pan Pacific Para Swimming Championships and the result was outstanding.

“The gold medal performances from Mary Fisher and Nikita Howarth were quite exceptional and demonstrates they are tracking nicely towards the Rio 2016 Paralympic Games. However what is also exciting is the emergence of talented athletes Rebecca Dubber and Georgia Gray who will jump up the international rankings with their medal performances.”

Humm continues, “These athletes are also likely to be integral to the make-up of future New Zealand Women’s relay teams. We went to this competition with the aim of all athletes achieving PB’s, while we also viewed it as a great opportunity for development athletes such as Chris Aburthnott and Daniel Galoufa to gain international experience.

“We believe we have achieved both goals and while we are happy with our progress towards Rio 2016 we feel we have also taken a large step towards our build through to the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games.”

Results for Day 5 finals: