Fast Swims & Tight Finishes Light Up Day Three
- dale493
- 3 hours ago
- 5 min read
Day Three Wrap - 2025 NZ Short Course Swimming Championships
Day three of finals racing at the 2025 NZ Short Course Swimming Championships opened with the women’s 200m backstroke. The swim was wide open through the first 100m with four athletes going stroke for stroke. Gina McCarthy (Hamilton Aquatics & RPC Waikato) surged ahead in the third 50m, but Australian visitor Sarah Bennett chased her down with a powerful closing lap to take the win in 2:07.92. McCarthy claimed the Kiwi gold in 2:08.30, followed by Isabelle Gibson (Club 37) with Kiwi silver and Hanna Abdou (Wharenui) with Kiwi bronze.
The men’s 200m backstroke was another thriller, with Malaysian Daniel Williams holding off a storming finish from Samuel Poching (North Shore) to win in 1:56.86. Poching claimed the Kiwi gold, with Alessandro Esposito (Nga Tai Tuatea a Taraika) and Te Paki (Northwave) completing the Kiwi podium.
Visitor Rebecca Meder (North Shore) dominated the women’s 100m butterfly, showcasing her excellent skills off the start and turns, holding off Paris Olympian Hazel Ouwehand (Phoenix Aquatics) to win in 56.86. Ouwehand took the Kiwi gold, Brooke Swan (Nelson South) the Kiwi silver, and Milan Glintmeyer (Coast) the Kiwi bronze.
The women’s 100m butterfly multi-class saw three New Zealand records fall in one race. Chloe Gladwin (Whakatane) and Lili-Fox Mason (Wharenui) went stroke-for-stroke for the entire swim, with Gladwin touching the wall first in a S19 national record of 1:13.26. She was just ahead of Mason who clocked 1:13.64. Aimee Van Aardt set a new S18 record with 1:55.11, and Charlotte Murphy broke the S6 mark in 2:00.78.
The men’s 100m butterfly featured the swim of the night from Australian Alex Quach, who blasted through the first 50m in 22.94 before powering home to dip under 50 seconds for the first time, touching in a blistering 49.90. Aquablack Lewis Clareburt (Club 37) took the Kiwi gold in 51.63, ahead of Chris Elson (Vikings) and Ryan Peck (Club 37).
“It’s incredible to go under 50 for the first time, it’s been a huge dream of mine,” said Quach. Hopefully that puts me in the mix for the next Australian short course team. I’ve been swimming well and I’m having a really good meet. I love it here, New Zealand’s great and I’m enjoying the cooler weather.”
Another national record fell in the men’s 100m butterfly multi-class. Daniel Smith (Pukekohe) was in career best form, breaking his S19 record in a time of 1:00.12. Teammate Jole Watkins (Pukekohe) placed second and David Beck (Club 37) third.
The women’s 50m breaststroke saw Rebecca Meder earn her second win of the day. Meder was dominant to continue her impressive meet, touching the wall first in 29.95. Monique Wieruszowski (North Shore) set a 18 years NZ age record in 30.68 to take the Kiwi gold. Brearna Crawford (Waitakere) won the Kiwi silver with Zyleika Pratt-Smith (Coast) taking Kiwi bronze.
“Sub 30 is a good swim for me so I’m very happy,” said Meder. “It’s great to see these results in the sprint distances and hopefully it’s a good sign for my 200IM where I’ve been trying to pick up some speed.”
The women’s 50m breaststroke multi-class was won by Emily Mullany (Dannevirke) in 42.55. Charlotte Rozen (Wharenui) set a SB18 record in 1:00.11 to win the Kiwi silver, with Charlotte Murphy (Aquagym) taking the Kiwi bronze.
The men’s 50m breaststroke was another hotly contested race. Jasper Cornish (Coast) got off to a great start to lead the field at the turn, before Australian visitor Chris Montana found another gear, racing home to narrowly touch the wall first in 27.53. Hara Hughes (Coast) was just a fraction behind, winning the Kiwi gold in 27.57. Cornish took the Kiwi silver and Sam Brown (Coast) the Kiwi bronze rounding out a Coast podium.
Daniel Smith was then back in the pool, this time in the men’s 50m breaststroke multi-class. Smith broke away for a comfortable victory, setting a SB19 record in 30.67 to win his second national title of the night. Ian Chen (St Pauls) won silver and James Haydon (Club 37) bronze.
The women’s 400m freestyle was one of the most anticipated events of the evening with Aquablacks Erika Fairweather (North Shore) and Caitlin Deans (Neptune & Swim Dunedin) lining up in the middle lanes. The race favourites broke away from the field over the first hundred, with Fairweather ahead of Deans by a body length. It was a lead she held onto, finishing with an impressive sub 4-minute swim to clock a time of 3:57.88s. Deans took silver in a personal best (4:00.13), with Emilia Finer (Neptune & Swim Dunedin) in bronze.
In the women’s 200m freestyle multi-class Lili-Fox Mason continued her fine form, picking up her third national title of the meet. Mason clocked 2:21.48 for the win, Melissa Donoghue (Hamilton Aquatics) placed second and Brooke Anderson (Vikings) set a S8 record in 3:05.63s to place third.
“It’s day three so I’m feeling it but that’s still a good time,” said Mason. “It’s been a great week and I feel like I’m swimming the best I ever have.”
Sprint specialist Cameron Gray (United) decided to have a crack in the men’s 400m freestyle, going hard off the blocks to power well ahead of the field by the 100m mark. Louis Clark (North Shore) moved into the lead as Gray faded and held off a late challenge from Australian Luke Higgs to win in 3:47.22. Larn Hamblyn-Ough (Coast) took the Kiwi silver and Brendan Visser (Coast) the Kiwi bronze.
“That was a great race, it was good fun having Cameron take me out quite nicely,” said Clark. “It was like the tortoise vs the hare so it was fun.”
The men’s 200m freestyle multi-class was won by Thomas Magill (Papamoa) in 2:09.18. James Haydon (Club 37) placed second and Jack Bugler (Blenheim) third.
The 4 x 50m freestyle relays rounded out the evening. The women’s event was won by Coast Swimming Club A in 1:40.33 who finished strongly. North Shore A held on for second, with the Heretaunga Sundevils A placing third.
In the men’s relay, Club 37 clocked a blistering time of 1:29.40s, just outside the NZ record to win the race. Swimming New South Wales A placed with the visitor silver, Coast A the Kiwi silver and United the bronze.
There were many other strong performances across the age groups across the morning. We have acknowledged the record-breaking performances from the morning below:
Chloe Gladwin - women's 200m backstroke multi-class (2:37.41) - S19 NZ record
Charlotte Murphy - women's 100m butterfly mutli-class (2:03.01) - S6 NZ record
Chloe Gladwin - women's 100m butterfly multi-class (1:15.75) - S19 NZ record
Aimee van Aardt - women's 100m butterfly multi-class (1:55.14) - S18 NZ record
Monique Wieruszowski - women's 50m breaststroke (31.13) - 18 years NZ age record
Daniel Smith - men's 50m breaststroke multi-class (30.90) - SB19 NZ record
Brooke Anderson - women's 200m freestyle multi-class (3:08.08) - S8 NZ record
More than 700 athletes from around the country are swimming at these championships at the Sir Owen G Glenn Aquatic Centre on Auckland’s North Shore. Age group medals are awarded from the morning session, with open medals awarded in the evening session.
Make sure you are following the Swimming NZ social media channels to stay up-to-date with the action across the week. There are plenty more exciting races to come that you won't want to miss.
All sessions of the event are being streamed live and free on the Swimming NZ YouTube channel.
Day Schedules
Review the schedule for each day of competition below with male and female events occurring on the same day unless stated otherwise:
Day Four – Wednesday 24 September
200m butterfly
50m backstroke
50m backstroke multi-class
100m breaststroke
100m breaststroke multi-class
200m freestyle
100m freestyle multi-class
4 x 50m medley relays
Day Five – Thursday 25 September
50m freestyle
50m freestyle multi-class
200m individual medley
200m individual medley multi-class
Women’s 1500m freestyle
Men’s 800m freestyle
Mixed 4 x 100m freestyle relays
Mixed 4 x 100m medley relay multi-class
Mixed 4 x 100m medley relays
