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16 World Records Officially Ratified from NZ Short Course Champs

Celebration of Newly Ratified Virtus II3 World Records


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Four New Zealand swimmers achieved world records at the 2025 NZ Short Course Swimming Championships last month. Chloe Gladwin (Whakatane), Daniel Smith (Pukekohe), Ian Chen (St Paul's) and Jole Watkins (Pukekohe) have each made history at the Sir Owen G Glenn National Aquatic Centre in Auckland. Each of the four swimmers achieved Virtus II3 (known domestically as S19) world records, with the records now ratified by the global sporting body.


Chloe Gladwin carried her medal-winning form from the recent World Virtus Swimming Championships into the short course format, now holding eight of a possible eighteen world records in the women's II3 classification. Gladwin had a stellar week in Auckland, lowering a world record mark a total of eleven times across the heats and finals of eight events.


Gladwin now holds the short course II3 world records in the following events:

  • Women's 100m freestyle (1:04.38)

  • Women's 800m freestyle (9:46.29)

  • Women's 1500m freestyle (18:40.94)

  • Women's 100m backstroke (1:13.95)

  • Women's 200m backstroke (2:37.41)

  • Women's 200m butterfly (2:45.68)

  • Women's 200m individual medley (2:37.72)

  • Women's 400m individual medley (5:30.70)


Gladwin is proud of her achievements over the past couple of months.

"It's been a really end to this cycle. I started the year injured, so it took time to get stronger and fitter again. All the hard work paid off with an amazing experience in Thailand, and finishing with world records at NZ Short Course was a great way to end it. I have had a well-deserved break since, and I'm excited about what's next."

Congratulations to Gladwin and her coach Mason Pickering for these achievements.


Daniel Smith was another swimmer who excelled throughout the championships, now the holder of six world records having lowered them nine times across heats and finals.


Smith now holds the short course II3 world records for the following:

  • Men's 100m freestyle (54.26)

  • Men's 50m butterfly (27.01)

  • Men's 50m breaststroke (30.67)

  • Men's 100m breaststroke (1:06.53)

  • Men's 200m breaststroke (2:29.99)

  • Men's 100m individual medley (1:01.43)


Congratulations to Smith, and coach Sheldon Kemp, for being the new holder of six world records.


Two-time II3 World Champion Ian Chen added another world record to the three he achieved in long course events earlier this year, one of which still stands from his gold medal-winning performance in Thailand. Chen dipped under the five-minute mark in the 400m individual medley at the recent national short course championships in Auckland to set a new II3 world record with his time of 4:58.93.


Congratulations to Chen and coach Graham Smith for this latest achievement in a stunning 2025 season.


Jole Watkins also broke a short course II3 world record during the championships last month. Fresh from medal-winning performances in Thailand, the 16-year-old broke the 100m backstroke world record twice in a day across heat and final, to set the new mark at 1:07.94.


Congratulations to Watkins and coach Sheldon Kemp on this achievement.

 

This season marks the first year these athletes are each recognised as internationally classified II3/S19 swimmers by Virtus, the global organisation that governs, advocates, organises, and promotes elite sport for athletes with an intellectual impairment. 


Whilst each swimmer has been involved with their respective clubs through their development as club swimmers, the introduction of the S19 classification and the Virtus pathway opportunities has seen these swimmers flourish in recent years.


Swimming NZ's Disability & Para Swimming Participation Manager, Cameron Leslie, says these swimmers are leading the way.

"I think for me it's about acknowledging Virtus is growing globally, and we are doing our part to celebrate our trailblazing swimmers and help grow competitiveness globally. For these swimmers it is something to be proud of and build from."

 

The ratified world records highlight an outstanding year for the growth of multi-class swimming in New Zealand. We had a record number of multi-class swimmers compete at the 2025 Apollo Projects NZ Swimming Championships in May and nearly equalled this mark at the recent 2025 NZ Short Course Swimming Championships. On the international stage, we saw New Zealand's most successful campaign at the 2025 World Virtus Swimming Championships in Thailand, as well as three silver medals at the recent 2025 World Para Swimming Championships.


Swimming NZ's Head of Participation, Competitions & Engagement, Dale Johnson, is thrilled with the continued growth of competitive opportunities for multi-class swimmers.

"We are proud of the opportunities we have created in recent years, and it's great to see the significant achievements of our swimmers as a result of these improvements. We are thrilled to play our part in leading the way for non-traditional pathways by providing more opportunities for people to be active in the water and race at competitions across all levels."

A huge congratulations to our four new world record holders, their dedicated coaches, and support teams for rounding out an exceptional year of national and international achievements in multi-class racing.

 
 
 

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