George Breaks NZ Record as Three More Qualifying Marks Secured
Day Four Wrap – 2026 NZ Short Course Swimming Championships
Three World Aquatics Swimming Championships (25m) qualifying marks and more New Zealand records highlighted an exciting fourth night of racing at the 2026 NZ Short Course Swimming Championships in Christchurch.
Amber George (Coast) produced one of the swims of the championships in the women’s 50m backstroke, clocking a blistering 26.45 to break the New Zealand record and secure a qualifying mark for the World Short Course Championships in Beijing.
Teammate Savannah-Eve Martin was just 0.03s behind in 26.48, also going under the World Championships qualifying standard, while Milan Glintmeyer completed a Coast sweep of the podium with bronze.
“It’s been a long campaign, and to have some fun out there today, was great,” said George. “My turn this morning was a little bit off, so I just tried to focus on that and being fast underwater. I had to do that next to Savannah, she’s so good underwater. It was a close race, but I’m happy I got there.”
George and Martin weren’t the only swimmers to achieve World Championships qualifying marks on Wednesday night, with Milana Tapper (St Peter’s) securing her second of the championships, this one coming in the women’s 200m freestyle.
With the crowd getting behind her, Tapper powered to the national title in 1:55.33, adding another qualifying mark after achieving the standard in the 400m freestyle on Tuesday night. Holli Macdonald (Hamilton Aquatics) claimed silver, while Australian visitor Jemma Apps finished third overall and Emilia Finer (Neptune & Swim Dunedin) took Kiwi bronze.
Record-breaking Amber George combined with Savannah-Eve Martin, Zyleika Pratt-Smith and Zoe Pedersen to close out the women’s programme with another New Zealand record, as Coast won the 4x50m medley relay in 1:47.83. Heretaunga Sundevils claimed New Zealand silver and United bronze, with Australian visitors Somerville House Aquatics finishing second overall.
Pratt-Smith had earlier completed a clean sweep of the individual breaststroke titles, adding the women’s 100m crown to her 50m and 200m victories from earlier in the championships.
The Coast swimmer held off a fast-finishing Brearna Crawford (Waitakere) to take the title in 1:06.40, just 0.02s over her New Zealand record from the heats, with Crawford claiming silver. Australian visitor Jessica Daley finished third overall, while 13-year-old April Lin (Phoenix) took Kiwi bronze in a NZ age-group record.
James Slessor (Waitakere) was the sole swimmer to break the one-minute barrier in the men’s 100m breaststroke, taking gold in 59.70. Roman Anderson (Tawa) followed in 1:00.01, setting a 17 years New Zealand age-group record on his way to silver, while Hara Hughes (Coast) claimed bronze.
There was another age-group record in the men’s 200m freestyle, where Fraser Walker (United) lowered his own 18 years New Zealand age-group mark from the heats to 1:45.25 to claim the national title. Kevin Zhang (Roskill) took silver in 1:46.06, with Brendan Visser (Coast) bronze in 1:47.08.
Fourteen-year-old Grayson Coulter also continued his record-breaking championships, lowering the 14 years New Zealand age-group record to 1:48.13.
The multi-class programme produced several more national records.
Quinn Pike (S19, Hamilton Aquatics) set an S19 New Zealand record of 1:03.58 to win the women’s 100m freestyle multi-class title. Lili-Fox Mason (S10, Wharenui) claimed silver, while Aimee Van Aardt (S18, Pukekohe) took bronze and also set an S18 New Zealand record with her 1:32.48 swim.
Cameron Leslie MNZM (S4, Whangarei) topped the men’s 100m freestyle multi-class standings with 786 points after swimming 1:25.53, after setting an S4 national record in the heats. Asher Smith-Franklin (S14, Coast) took silver and set an S14 New Zealand record of 55.68, with James Haydon (S14, United) claiming bronze.
Summer Vincent (SB14, Dannevirke) continued her record-breaking week in the women’s 100m breaststroke multi-class, setting an S14 New Zealand record of 1:37.62 on her way to bronze. Isabella Thurlow (SB9, Wharenui) took gold, with Charlotte Rozen (SB18, Wharenui) silver.
In the men’s 100m breaststroke multi-class, Ian Chen (SB19, St Paul’s) took gold in 1:09.03, ahead of Haydon and Jonty Howland (SB6, Dannevirke). Howland’s 1:39.07 set an S6 16/U New Zealand record.
Earlier in the night, Esme Paterson (Neptune & Swim Dunedin) opened the individual programme with victory in the women’s 200m butterfly in 2:14.01, ahead of Xanthe Miller (United) and Alexis Buissinne (North Shore).
Daniel Kregting (Roskill) claimed the men’s 200m butterfly title in 1:57.85, with just 0.09s separating Neo Salomonsson (Kiwi & Swim Dunedin) and Sam Kenny (Coast) for silver and bronze.
Jasper Cornish (Coast) added the men’s 50m backstroke title to his 100m backstroke victory from the opening night, winning in 24.08. William Seymour (Nelson South) took silver and Cooper Morley (North Shore) bronze.
In the multi-class 50m backstroke, Christchurch local Lili-Fox Mason (S10, Wharenui) claimed the New Zealand women’s title, while Australian visitor Amelia Steiner (S19) recorded the highest points score overall. Londyn Dillinger (S9, Murihiku) and Brooke Anderson (S7, Wharenui) rounded out the podium.
Cameron Leslie (S4, Whangarei) won the men’s title ahead of David Beck (S14, United) and Haydon.
Coast then completed the medley relay double in the final race of the night, with Cornish, Hughes, Brendan Visser and Igor Russanov combining to win the men’s 4x50m medley in 1:37.33. United took silver and Coast’s B team bronze.
The 2026 NZ Short Course Swimming Championships conclude at Parakiore Recreation and Sport Centre on Thursday. The final day of racing will see the 50m freestyle and 200m individual medley among the events on the agenda for an action packed day of swimming.
The championships mark the return of national championship swimming to Christchurch, with five days of racing taking place at the new Parakiore Recreation and Sport Centre.
The 2026 New Zealand Short Course Swimming Championships are supported by competition partners Christchurch City Council and China Eastern.
Key Details
Heats will be held from 8:30am each morning, with finals held in the evening from 5pm. All sessions of the championships will be streamed on the Swimming NZ Vidzing channel.
You can purchase full livestream access to all five days of racing for $24.95, or alternatively pay $5.00 for an individual session pass.
Dates: 27 September – 1 October
Location: Parakiore Recreation and Sport Centre, Christchurch
Heats Start: 8.25am (livestream), 8:30am (racing)
Finals Start: 4.50pm (livestream), 5pm (racing)
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