Competition Preview – 2024 Junior Pan Pacific Championships
Our New Zealand team arrived in Canberra over the weekend ahead of the 2024 Junior Pan Pacific Championships being held from 21 – 24 August at the Australian Institute of Sport. Our team of eight swimmers will compete against other countries from around the Pacific, including charter nations Australia, United States of America, Japan and Canada.
The team has a mixture of experience, with six of the eight athletes having raced at major junior international competitions in the past 12 months. Isabelle Gibson (Club 37), Milan Glintmeyer (Coast) and Zoe Pedersen (Coast) each competed at the 2023 World Aquatics Junior Swimming Championships, while Amelia Bray (North Shore), Harrison Klouwens (North Shore) and Jasper Cornish (Coast) competed at the 2023 Commonwealth Youth Games in Trinidad and Tobago.
Head Coach John Gatfield (Coast) is looking forward to getting underway after a mini camp late last week in Auckland.
“I’m excited about the team. We are pretty experienced in terms of international exposure and in an advantageous position coming from a similar climate and little time difference. Everyone gets along really well which bodes strongly for team culture, so let’s see what happens.”
Unfortunately, Monique Wieruszowski (North Shore) has been forced to withdraw after recently suffering an injury.
The racing begins on Wednesday 21 August with heats from 11am NZST and finals from 7pm NZST. Swimming Australia will be streaming the championships live and free on their YouTube channel. Make sure to read our preview below and follow Swimming NZ on our social media channels to stay up-to-date on all the action from across the ditch.
Day One
Five swimmers are in action on the first day of racing, with Milana Tapper (St Peter’s) kicking off the New Zealand team campaign in the Women’s 200m Freestyle. Entering the competition in great form after setting a personal best to qualify at the 2024 Apollo Projects NZ Age Group Swimming Championships, Tapper will be facing some strong competition with five swimmers entered with times faster than two minutes. Brendan Visser (Coast) will be in action in the Men’s 200m Freestyle shortly after, having also set a personal best in Hawke’s Bay earlier this year.
We have two swimmers in the Women’s 100m Backstroke. Isabelle Gibson (Club 37) is seeded marginally ahead of Milan Glintmeyer (Coast), with both having raced this event in at the World Junior Swimming Championships last year. Jasper Cornish (Coast) will round out the first session of racing for the Kiwis, taking on the Men’s 100m Backstroke after setting his personal best in Hawke’s Bay earlier this year.
Day Two
The second day of action has six of our swimmers racing in the 100m Freestyle. Zoe Pedersen (Coast) heads in as New Zealand's fastest seed for the women, with Milana Tapper (St Peter's), Milan Glintmeyer (Coast) and Amelia Bray (North Shore) all nipping at her heels. Bray showed excellent form in this event at the 2024 NZ Secondary School Swimming Championships last month to be the fastest across all age groups, so it is sure to be a great watch the quartet push each other all the way.
Harrison Klouwens (North Shore) will open his account in the Men’s 100m Freestyle as the fastest Kiwi, joined by Brendan Visser (Coast).
Day Three
Brendan Visser (Coast) opens up the penultimate day of racing with the Men’s 400m Freestyle. Having broken the four minute barrier three times in the last 9 months, he will be looking to lower his personal best from the 2024 Apollo Projects NZ Swimming Championships earlier this year.
Amelia Bray (North Shore) headlines our three swimmers in the Women’s 100m Butterfly, having the fastest entry time. The Commonwealth Youth Games bronze medallist has been in scintillating form, with Milan Glintmeyer (Coast) and Zoe Pedersen (Coast) seeded just outside of Bray’s entry time.
Isabelle Gibson (Club 37) will be our sole competitor in the Women’s 200m Backstroke. Gibson set her personal best at the Victorian Championships earlier this year, and will be looking to lower it further against some of the world's fastest age group swimmers.
The Women’s 4 x 100m Freestyle Relay enter as the fourth fastest seed to round out the third day.
Day Four
The final day of competition will see five swimmers take on the Women’s 50m Freestyle. Zoe Pedersen (Coast) heads in as the fastest seed, with Amelia Bray (North Shore), Milan Glintmeyer (Coast), Milana Tapper (St Peter's) and Isabelle Gibson (Club 37) all looking to lay down a fast swim.
Harrison Klouwens (North Shore) and Jasper Cornish (Coast) will be battling it out for bragging rights in the Men’s 50m Freestyle. It will be the final event of the championships for the Kiwis.
New Zealand Team
Name | Organisation | Selection |
Amelia Bray | North Shore | Swimmer |
Jasper Cornish | Coast | Swimmer |
Isabelle Gibson | Club 37 | Swimmer |
Milan Glintmeyer | Coast | Swimmer |
Harrison Klouwens | North Shore | Swimmer |
Zoe Pedersen | Coast | Swimmer |
Milana Tapper | St Peter's | Swimmer |
Brendan Visser | Coast | Swimmer |
John Gatfield | Coast | Head Coach |
Michelle Gillies | North Shore | Coach |
Bex Bowden | Swimming NZ | Team Manager |
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