Aquablacks & Rising Stars Raring to Race in Auckland
- dale493
- 1 day ago
- 9 min read
Competition Preview - 2025 Apollo Projects NZ Swimming Championships
A record number of athletes are preparing for a week of fierce competition at the 2025 Apollo Projects NZ Swimming Championships. More than 350 athletes will be swimming in the championships which are being held at the Sir Owen G Glenn National Aquatic Centre in Auckland from Wednesday 21 to Sunday 25 May.
The field will see the top swimmers from across the country come together to battle for national titles, with 16 Aquablacks preparing to dive in. There is also a record number of multi-class swimmers entered, with 33 classified swimmers highlighting the continued growth as a result of the increased opportunities provided for swimmers with a disability.
The championships will also see the 17 - 18 years age group compete for the first time since the Competition Review recommendations were announced in 2024. During the finals sessions, the fastest overall 8 swimmers will compete in the A Final. A 17 - 18 Years Final will be held for the fastest 8 age group swimmers who aren't in the A Final, with the age group medals to be awarded from the best results between the two finals (timed final result).
The championships are also a major qualification opportunity for multiple New Zealand teams at upcoming international competitions this year. The teams available for selection to respective world championships in 2025 are:
2025 World Aquatics Championships - Singapore (Open Water = 15 - 20 July, Pool = 27 July - 3 August)
2025 World Aquatics Junior Swimming Championships - Romania (19 - 24 August)
2025 World Virtus Swimming Championships - Thailand (20 - 30 August)
2025 World Para Swimming Championships - Singapore (21 - 27 September)
There are also a couple of development teams available:
2025 Tri Series - Australia (7 - 12 July)
2025 National Development Team - USA and Canada (10 - 25 October)
Swimming NZ's Olympic Head Coach, Graham Hill, is expecting fast times in the pool.
“This is a really important competition for our athletes and we’re expecting some really impressive swimming as they vie for qualification to these pinnacle world events.”
Team announcements or celebrations to acknowledge swimmers who have achieved qualifying times for the world championship teams or national development teams will be held at the conclusion of racing on Sunday evening. Learn more about the selection criteria for each respective team below.
Hill is calling on the community to come along and support the athletes.
“There will be some amazing competition during the week. It’s a great atmosphere and we have a huge number of really talented swimmers who are hungry for national titles. We’re encouraging the community to come along, show their support and enjoy the action.”
Aquablack #266 and two-time Olympian Erika Fairweather (North Shore) headlines the event, competing in four events, the 100m, 200m, 400m and 800m freestyle. It is the first time we will see Fairweather represent her new club at a national championships after moving to Auckland from her hometown of Dunedin earlier this year.
Fairweather has been enjoying the preparation and excited for the championships to get under way.
“It’s been a big change but I’m loving being around a big group of athletes and enjoying the slightly warmer weather! I’m really looking forward to nationals, it’s always a great week of competition and there are some amazing youngsters coming through so I’m excited to see them in action.”
There promises to be plenty of fast racing with 16 Aquablacks and lots of young talent coming through.
Key Details
Heats will be held from 9am each morning, with finals held in the evening from 6pm. Whilst there is no better place to watch the racing than live from in the grandstands, all sessions of the championships will be available live and free on the Swimming NZ YouTube channel.
Dates: 21 - 25 May
Location: Sir Owen G Glenn National Aquatic Centre
Heats Start: 8.55am (livestream), 9am (racing)
Finals Start: 5.50pm (livestream), 6pm (racing)
Alongside the championships, the 2024 Swimming NZ Awards will be presented during the finals sessions from Thursday to Sunday. These awards will recognise outstanding achievements and service to the sport during the 2024 calendar year.
We also welcome back the Legends Relay on Saturday night, where our Kiwi favourites return to the pool and raise money for the NZ Swimming Trust who help support of next wave of swimmers.
Day Previews
Each day of competition has must watch races. An overview of each day has been provided below.
Day One - Wednesday 21 May
The first day of action has a mixture of distance races and shorter events. Multiple Aquablacks are the headlines on the first night of racing. The list of events in order:
400m individual medley
100m breaststroke multi-class
50m freestyle
100m backstroke multi-class
100m butterfly
Women's 800m freestyle
Men's 1500m freestyle
4 x 100m freestyle relays
Gina McCarthy (Hamilton Aquatics & RPC Waikato) and Ariel Muchirahondo (Swim Rotorua) enter the championships as the fastest seeds in the 400m individual medley, with Muchirahondo breaking the 16 years NZ age record last month in Hawke's Bay.
Gaby Smith (Vikings) and Asher Smith-Franklin (North Shore) will be aiming to swim under the qualifying times for the World Para Swimming Championships in the 100m breaststroke multi-class.
In the 50m freestyle, Masters World Record holder Laura Quilter (Coast) enters as the fastest seed with Aquablack Chelsey Edwards (North Shore) and youngster Zoe Pedersen (Coast) hot on her tail. Michael Picket (Club 37) leads the field in the men's event, ahead of fellow Aquablacks Cameron Gray (Coast) and Carter Swift (Club 37).
Tokyo Paralympic champion Tupou Neiufi (Mt Eden) will have her first swim in the 100m backstroke multi-class whilst a number of swimmers will be vying for the men's national title.
NZ Record holder Hazel Ouwehand (Phoenix Aquatics) headlines the 100m butterfly, with a host of strong female talent such as Milan Glintmeyer (Coast) and Zoe Pedersen already going under the qualifying mark for the World Aquatics Junior Swimming Championships. Cameron Gray is the fastest seed in the men's event.
Erika Fairweather, Eve Thomas (Coast) and Caitlin Deans (Neptune & Swim Dunedin) will resume their battle, with all three likely to swim under the qualifying time for world champs in the women's 800m freestyle.
5km open water national champion Louis Clark (North Shore) and Larn Hamblyn-Ough (Coast) will be battling it in the men's 1500m freestyle.
Coast, North Shore and Club 37 will be the clubs to watch in the 4 x 100m freestyle relays to round out the first day of competition.
Day Two - Thursday 22 May
Another day of exciting races to watch, which starts with must watch events. The list of events in order are:
100m freestyle
200m freestyle multi-class
200m backstroke
100m butterfly multi-class
50m breaststroke
Mixed 4 x 100m freestyle relay
Day two kicks off with the must watch races of the night in the 100m freestyle. Erika Fairweather enters as the fastest seed ahead of teammate Chelsey Edwards and youngsters Zoe Pedersen and Milana Tapper (St Peter's). NZ Record holder Cameron Gray will be hoping to repeat his performance from last year when he qualified for Paris, with Aquablack Carter Swift, and Zac Dell (Club 37) making both the women's and men's event ones not to miss.
National titles are up for grabs in the 200m freestyle multi-class events with a number of swimmers across the classifications in the frame.
Developing youngsters Isabelle Gibson (Club 37), Amber George (Coast) and Hanna Abdou (Wharenui) will be challenging Gina McCarthy in the 200m backstroke. Aquablack and NZ Record holder Kane Follows (Neptune & Swim Dunedin) enters with the fastest time after his memorable qualifying time at last year's championships which saw him selected for Paris.
Aquablack and NZ Record holder Josh Willmer (Coast) will be one to watch in the 100m breaststroke multi-class having already achieved the qualifying time for Singapore. Aquablack Lili-Fox Mason (Wharenui) will make her first appearance and Asher Smith-Franklin will both be aiming to also qualify for Singapore.
NZ Record holder Monique Wieruszowski (North Shore) will be hoping to qualify for both Romania and Singapore world championships in the 50m breaststroke. For the men, we will crown a new national champion in the event.
Coast enters as the fastest relay team ahead of Club 37 and North Shore in the mixed 4 x 100m freestyle relay.
Day Three - Friday 23 May
The reigning World Champion in her main event is the headline for day three and she will be the first event up. The list of events in order are:
400m freestyle
400m freestyle multi-class
100m backstroke
50m backstroke multi-class
200m breaststroke
50m butterfly
50m butterfly
4 x 200m freestyle relay
Reigning World Champion and NZ Record holder Erika Fairweather will return for her main event, the 400m freestyle, to kickstart day three. All eyes will be on the action and the clock as Eve Thomas and Caitlin Deans will also be aiming for qualifying times for Singapore. Louis Clark will have some youngsters for company in the men's event, with James Leigh (Coast) who recently achieved the qualifying time for Romania and Brendan Visser (Coast) close upon entry times.
Aquablack Lili-Fox Mason will be back in the pool for the 400m freestyle multi-class and five swimmers will battle for the men's title.
It's incredibly close in the women's 100m backstroke, with four young swimmers hoping to claim the national title following Aquablack Helena Gasson's retirement late last year. Amber George, Savannah-Eve Martin (Coast), Milan Glintmeyer and Isabelle Gibson will be pushing the pace and close to times for Romania and Singapore respectively. Cooper Morley (North Shore) enters as the fastest upon returning from his semester at college, with Zac Dell and Kane Follows not far behind.
Reigning World Champion and Aquablack Cameron Leslie (Whangarei) will make his first appearance of the championships in the 50m backstroke multi-class, with Chloe Gladwin (Whakatane) the fastest seed in the women's.
Zyleika Pratt-Smith (Coast) and Melissa Cowen (North Shore) are close on their entry times in the 200m breaststroke, as are Sam Brown and Blair Helms (North Shore).
NZ Record holder and Aquablack Hazel Ouwehand is comfortably the fastest seed in the 50m butterfly and has already achieved the qualifying time for Singapore in this event. Cameron Gray goes in as the fastest seed entering the championships for the men.
Youngster Rylee Sayer (Matamata) will race the first of the events she has already achieved a qualifying time for Singapore in as she takes on the 50m butterfly multi-class alongside Aquablacks Gaby Smith and Lili-Fox Mason. Asher Smith-Franklin enters as the fastest male seed.
Day Four - Saturday 24 May
Our legends kick off the night on day four before rounding out the night with the must watch 200m freestyle. The list of events in order are:
Legends Relay - 4 x 50m Freestyle Relay
200m butterfly
50m breaststroke multi-class
100m breaststroke
100m freestyle multi-class
200m freestyle
Mixed 4 x 100m medley relay
NZ Age Record holder Ariel Muchirahondo is the fastest entry in the 200m butterfly as he will try to go under the two minute mark for the first time in his career, having already achieved the qualifying time for Romania. Neve Tassicker (Nga Tai Tuatea a Taraika) and Esme Paterson (Neptune & Swim Dunedin) are the fastest seeds for the women.
NZ Record holder Josh Willmer returns for the 50m breaststroke multi-class as he will have competition across the classifications with ten males entered, whilst there are three women battling out the spots on the podium.
Monique Wieruszowski will be racing the clock in the 100m breaststroke, whilst Hara Hughes (Coast) and Blair Helms enter with nearly identical times for the men.
Youngster Rylee Sayer will be hoping to go faster again in the 100m freestyle multi-class after having already achieved the qualifying time for Singapore, whilst Aquablacks Gaby Smith and Lili-Fox Mason will both be hoping to follow her lead. Four-time Paralympian Cameron Leslie will be the one to watch as 15 males take part in the men's event.
Reigning World Champs silver medallist and NZ Record holder Erika Fairweather will be hoping to add the 200m freestyle event to her Singapore campaign, as will Milana Tapper who recently swam close to the qualifying time. Aquablacks Eve Thomas, Caitlin Deans, Chelsey Edwards and Summer Osborne (North Shore) will all be hoping to swim under two minutes and push their case for a relay team after the women's team made the final in Paris last year.
Louis Clark, Brendan Visser and James Leigh will meet again over the shorter 200m freestyle distance.
Coast and North Shore are neck and neck on entry times for the mixed 4 x 100m medley relay.
Day Five - Sunday 25 May
The final day of racing promises more thrilling battles, with Aquablacks, emerging young talent and relay rivalries set to close out the championships. The list of events in order are:
200m individual medley
200m individual medley multi-class
50m backstroke
50m freestyle multi-class
Women's 1500m freestyle
Men's 800m freestyle
4 x 100m medley relay
Gina McCarthy and Sam Brown head into the 200m individual medley as the fastest seeds, whilst Aquablack Gaby Smith and Asher Smith-Franklin do for the multi-class event.
The group of developing backstroke girls resume their battle across the shortest distance, with Amber George having recently achieved the qualifying time for Singapore. Experienced Aquablacks in Laura Quilter and Hazel Ouwehand will be in the mix with Savannah-Eve Martin, Isabelle Gibson and Milan Glintmeyer.
Aquablack and Commonwealth Games Gold Medallist Andrew Jeffcoat (United) returns to the national championships as the one to beat ahead of Zac Dell, Cooper Morley and Aquablack Cameron Gray in the men's 50m backstroke.
Rylee Sayer and former World Record holder Cameron Leslie will be the ones to watch in the deep fields of the 50m freestyle multi-class.
Eve Thomas and Caitlin Deans are set for a close race after both have already achieved the qualifying time for Singapore in the 1500m freestyle.
Louis Clark and Larn Hamblyn-Ough are set to resume their long distance battles in the 800m freestyle.
Coast and North Shore will be battling for the final relay bragging rights to round out the championships on Sunday evening, this time in the 4 x 100m medley relays.
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