Crosland leads swimmers to double figures at Oceania Championships

The New Zealand swim team moved into double figures in the medal count on the third day of action in the pool at the Oceania championships in New Caledonia.  

Dunedin father Kurt Crosland again led the way with a strong performance for silver in the men’s 200m backstroke. It was Crosland’s third medal at the championships after a gold in the 100m backstroke and silver in the 50m backstroke.  

He nearly made it a second gold, pipped in the final 15m by Australian Ben Edmonds. The Dunedin swimmer, coached by Gennardiy Labara at Neptune club, was the only swimmer under the minute mark through the 100m mark and still led by more than a second at 150m. Crosland faded a little coming home as the Australian turned up the wick to win by 28/100ths of a second.  

Open water medallist Isaac Foote, the Masterton swimmer now coached by Gary Hurring at the Wellington Regional HPC, grabbed his third bronze medal with third place in the 400m freestyle in 4:01.69 just ahead of teammate Troy Balvert (Waves, Dunedin).  

Medley specialist Carsten Corazza (Howick Pakuranga) led the way with a strong third leg of 51.94s to push the New Zealand quartet with Ewan Jackson, Cameron Simpson and Crosland to a silver behind Australia in the 4x100m freestyle relay.  

The championships conclude tonight (NZ time).  

Results:  

50m breaststroke: Amini Fonua (TON) 28.80, 1; Nikolas Pregelj (AUS) 29.29, 2; Nicholas Schafer (AUS) 29.74, 3. Also: Matthew Glassford (NZL) 30.72, 5;  

400m freestyle: Declan Potts (AUS) 3:55.23, 1; Trent Grimsey (AUS) 4:01.68, 2; Isaac Foote (NZL) 4:01.69, 3; Troy Balvert (NZL) 4:08.80, 4.  

200m backstroke: Ben Edmonds (AUS) 2:03.12, 1; Kurt Crosland (NZL) 2:03.40, 2; Ben Gillies (NZL) 2:04.90, 3.  

Men 4x100m freestyle relay: Australia 3:24.71, 1; New Zealand 3:31.92, 2 (Ewan Jackson 53.33, Kurt Crosland 54.51, Carsten Corassa 51.94, Cameron Simpson 52.14); France 3:35.87, 3.