Announcement of the New Zealand team for the 2023 World Aquatics Junior Championships
Swimming New Zealand is pleased to announce the 11-person team selected to the World Aquatics Junior Championships team. The competition will be held in Netanya, Israel, from the 4th – 9th of September.
The team selected is spearheaded by Summer Osborne (North Shore) who will be attending the World Aquatics Championships in Fukuoka and debuting as an Aquablack. The team will be led by experienced swimmers such as Osborne, Finn Harland (Capital) and Isabelle Gibson (United) who have previously raced internationally at the 2022 Junior Pan Pacs. Harland and Gibson have both qualified this year in the 100m backstroke, the event in which they were finalists in Hawaii.
SNZ's National Development Leader, Alastair Johnson, is excited about the team selected.
I am delighted that we have selected a strong team of seven young athletes who have made the standard to compete at the 9th World Aquatics Junior Swimming Championships to be held in Israel in September. I am really looking forward to seeing the team do well in Israel, and for the athletes to enjoy the next stage of their swimming journey.
The event is likely to attract close to 100 competing countries and over 600 junior athletes, which will no doubt contribute to six days of exciting and fast racing in the Wingate Institute, a facility purpose-built for hosting world-class international swimming events. The athletes will be supported by the highly experienced coach John Gatfield (Coast) and emerging coach Mariano Nani (Aquabladz). Byron Reid will be leading the team with his past experience as an SNZ team manager and background working for NZ Police being key when taking this young team overseas.
New Zealand has a strong history at the event, with a Junior World Champion being crowned at every addition a New Zealand team has been sent:
2006 - Natalie Wiegersma (100m Backstroke)
2008 - Kurt Bassett (200 Backstroke), Orinoco Fa'amausili-Banse (50m Freestyle), Daniel Bell (100m Backstroke, 50m Butterfly & 100m Butterfly)
2013 & 2015 - Gabi Fa'amausili (50m Backstroke)
2019 - Erika Fairweather (200m Freestyle)
2023 World Aquatics Junior Championship Team
Finn Harland | Capital Swim Club |
Monique Wieruszowski | Aquabladz New Plymouth |
Milan Glintmeyer | Kiwi West Aquatics |
Summer Osborne | North Shore Swimming |
Zoe Pedersen | Coast Swim Club |
Isabelle Gibson | United Swim Club |
Brooke Bennett* | Vikings Swim Club |
Byron Reid | Team Leader |
Mariano Nani | Team Coach (Aquabladz New Plymouth) |
John Gatfield | Team Coach (Coast Swimming Club) |
Kayla Botha | Team Physio (Coast Swimming Club) |
*Selected after consideration of extenuating circumstances
We would also like to recognise that Melissa Cowen (North Shore Swimming) individually qualified for the team, but is choosing to compete with the SNZ USA Tour before beginning her college career in Florida.
Congratulations to the team selected, we can't wait to cheer you on as you represent our country in September.
