Day Four Wrap – 2024 World Aquatics Swimming Championships (25m) - Budapest, Hungary
Hazel Ouwehand (Phoenix Aquatics) shone on day four of the 2024 World Aquatics Swimming Championships (25m) in Budapest, where she raced her first world championships semi-final and broke the New Zealand record in the 100m butterfly twice in one day to place 14th in the world. Eve Thomas (Coast) was also in good form, notching a 13th place finish in the 1500m freestyle to round out her campaign in Budapest.
Ouwehand returned to the competition pool for her second and last individual event of these championships – the women’s 100m butterfly. Having raced this event in Paris earlier this year and in the 50m distance already this week, Ouwehand used her international experience to build throughout her heat swim. The Phoenix Aquatics athlete powered her way from fifth at the first turn to sit in fourth place by the halfway mark, before flying home to touch third on the wall (56.97). The time was a massive personal best for Ouwehand, shaving more than a second off her previous mark to dip under 57 seconds for the first time, and break the New Zealand Record in the process. The result saw her ranked 13th at the end of the heats to progress through to the semi-final.
Later in the day, Ouwehand raced in the second semi-final, swimming in lane one against a world-class field that included World Record holder Gretchen Walsh (USA). Ouwehand got away quicker from the blocks than what she did earlier in the day to sit in fourth place at the first turn. She looked strong as she turned fifth into the final lap, motoring home to touch seventh (56.60). The result marked another personal best, with the 24-year-old lowering her New Zealand Record set earlier in the day by a further 0.37 seconds. Walsh (52.87) qualified fastest into the final after she broke the World Record for the second time in the day to become the first swimmer under 53 seconds in history. Ouwehand finished an impressive 14th place in the world, experiencing her first taste of a semi-final at a world championships.
Ouwehand was proud of her two performances in the day.
“I am pleased with my swims today, glad I could pull out something to be proud of after my below average start to the meet on day one. Though I am satisfied with today’s swims, I still think I am capable of more and want more. On to the relay on Sunday!”
Congratulations to Ouwehand, coach David Lyles and her support team for re-writing our New Zealand history books twice in the one day.
Thomas was back in action for the longest event on the programme at these championships, the women’s 1500m freestyle. Thomas signaled her intent early, turned first at the first wall and third at the 50m mark. In lane one of the second fastest timed final, Thomas set up her race over the first 250m of the race to sit in fourth place, using Ching Hwee Gan (Singapore – 15:50.37) as a pacer in the lane alongside her. By halfway, Thomas had settled into fifth and continued in that position for the remainder of the race, where she consistently produced low 16 seconds lap splits. Thomas rounded out the timed final in fifth place (15:56.27), dropping under the 16 minutes barrier for the first time in her career.
Thomas had to wait until the fastest timed final was finished in the evening session to confirm her placing. Isabel Gose (Germany – 15:24.69) won the gold medal ahead of Simona Quadarella (Italy – 15:30.14), with Jillian Cox (USA – 15:41.29) earning bronze after taking out Thomas’ timed final. Thomas finished 13th overall to complete her campaign in Budapest, gaining valuable experience racing in a short course pool. Congratulations to Thomas, her coach Michael Weston and her support team for her performances in Budapest.
Day four marked the first of the relay action for New Zealand at these championships, with New Zealand contesting the mixed 4 x 50m freestyle relay. Racing from lane eight in the last heat, Jack Hendy (Club 37) led off strongly (22.04 split) to get the team into fourth place at the first change. Hugo Wrathall (Jasi) was next to dive in, holding strong to maintain the fourth position at the halfway point of the race (22.09 split). The youngster Zoe Pedersen (Coast) was next up with a fast 50m (24.34 split) to handover to Emma Godwin (Heretaunga Sundevils) for her first swim of the week. Godwin (24.27 split) brought it home in fourth (1:32.74) to place 16th overall. Congratulations to each of the relay team members, their coaches and support team.
Zyleika Pratt-Smith (Coast) made her senior international debut in the women’s 200m breaststroke, her only individual event of the championships. The 20-year-old got away smartly to be seventh at the first turn, before she got to work in ninth place for most of the race. Pratt-Smith made a late surge over the final lap and appeared to touch eighth on the wall, before a timing adjustment saw her finish ninth in the heat (2:25.63). The performance marked the third fastest time of her career, and best when swimming outside of the country, to finish 26th overall. Congratulations to Pratt-Smith, coach Michael Weston and her support team for her performance on international debut.
Chris Elson (Vikings) was the other Kiwi in action on day four where he competed in the men’s 100m butterfly. Elson got away to a solid start from lane eight of the fourth heat to be sixth at the first turn. Executing good turns and underwaters, Elson moved into fourth by the halfway mark and third at the final turn, before touching fifth on the final wall (53.16). The performance marked the sixth best time of his career. Elson finished 47th overall to complete his individual swims in Budapest. Congratulations to Elson, coach Todd Mason and his support team for his results upon debut at this level.
Other Results
Whilst not on the New Zealand team, we would like to acknowledge the following results by swimmers who swim with our clubs whilst representing other countries:
Rebecca Meder (South Africa & North Shore – coached by Graham Hill) – fifth in women’s 200m breaststroke final (2:18.26), fourth in heat (2:18.79)
Rebecca Meder (South Africa & North Shore – coached by Graham Hill) – sixth in women’s 100m individual medley final (58.10)
Jacob Story (Cook Islands & Mt Eden – coached by Don McKenna) – 36th in men’s 200m breaststroke (2:14.33)
Paige Schendelaar-Kemp (Samoa & Pukekohe – coached by Sheldon Kemp) – 36th in women’s 100m butterfly (1:01.84)
Eyad Masoud (United – coached by Andy McMillan) – 60th in men’s 100 butterfly (55.89)
Samoa – 27th in mixed 4 x 50m freestyle relay (1:39.76) included Kokoro Frost (Otaki Titans – coached by Jon Winter – 23.39 split) and Paige Schendelaar-Kemp (Pukekohe – coached by Sheldon Kemp – 26.28 split)
Day Five Preview
Heats (from 9pm NZDT – Saturday 14 December)
Women's 400m Individual Medley (McCarthy)
Men's 400m Individual Medley (Brown)
Women's 50m Freestyle (Pedersen)
Men's 50m Freestyle (Hendy)
Women's 50m Breaststroke (Crawford)
Men's 800m Freestyle Timed Final (Hamblyn-Ough)
Mixed 4 x 100m Medley Relay
Potential Finals Swims (from 5.30am NZDT – Sunday 15 December)
Women's 50m Breaststroke Semi-Final (Crawford) - 5.48am
Women's 50m Freestyle Semi-Final (Pedersen) - 6.12am
Men's 50m Freestyle Semii-Final (Hendy) - 6.21am)
Women's 400m Individual Medley Final (McCarthy) - 6.30am
Men's 400m Individual Medley Final (Brown) - 6.42am
Mixed 4 x 100m Medley Relay Final - 7.14am
Gina McCarthy (Hamilton Aquatics & RPC Waikato) and Sam Brown (Coast) both return for the longest of their events at these championships, the 400m individual medley. Zoe Pedersen will be back in action for the women's 50m freestyle, with Jack Hendy taking on the men's event. Brearna Crawford (Waitakere) returns for the shorter women's 50m breaststroke, before Larn Hamblyn-Ough (Coast) races his other event of the week in the men's 800m freestyle timed final. The heats session will conclude with a team in the mixed 4 x 100m medley relay, with Cooper Morley (North Shore), Brearna Crawford (Waitakere), Ben Littlejohn (St Paul's) and Zoe Pedersen in the line up.
The heats session will start at 9pm NZDT, with finals sessions due to start at 5.30am NZDT the following morning.
You can watch the livestream through the World Aquatics Recast platform by purchasing access from the link below.
Stay up-to-date with all of the action and latest results in Budapest via our Swimming NZ social media channels. Check out our preview of our Kiwis in action each day below.
Day Six
Heats (from 9pm NZDT – Sunday 15 December)
Women's 200m Freestyle (Welsh)
Men's 200m Freestyle (Littlejohn)
Women's 200m Backstroke (Godwin)
Men's 200m Backstroke (Brown)
Women's 4 x 100m Medley Relay
Men's 4 x 100m Medley Relay
Potential Finals Swims (from 5.30am NZDT – Monday 16 December)
Women's 50m Freestyle Final (Pedersen) - 5.32am
Men's 50m Freestyle Final (Hendy) - 5.39am
Women's 50m Breaststroke Final (Crawford) - 5.47am
Women's 200m Backstroke Final (Godwin) - 6.02am
Men's 200m Backstroke Final (Brown) - 6.12am
Women's 200m Freestyle Final (Welsh) - 6.26am
Men's 200m Freestyle Final (Littlejohn) - 6.40am
Women's 4 x 100m Medley Relay Final - 6.54am
Men's 4 x 100m Medley Relay Final - 7.10am
Jesse Welsh will have to wait to the final day to make her debut in the women's 200m freestyle, while Ben Littlejohn will drop down to the men's 200m freestyle for his second event of the championships.
Emma Godwin also needed to wait until the last day for her preferred women's 200m backstroke, before Sam Brown rounds out his busy schedule in the men's event.
The last events for the team will be relays, with both the women and men fielding a 4 x 100m medley relay team to conclude the championships.
Swimmer Entries
Sam Brown
100m Individual Medley (Result: 54.50 - 22nd)
200m Individual Medley (Result: 1:59.55 - 34th)
400m Individual Medley (Entry time: 4:08.84)
200m Backstroke (Entry time: 1:54.17)
Brearna Crawford
50m Breaststroke (Entry time: 30.85)
100m Breaststroke (Result: 1:07.10 - 34th)
Chris Elson
50m Butterfly (Result: 23.23 - PB and 38th)
100m Butterfly (Result: 53.16 - 47th)
Helena Gasson
50m Butterfly (Result: 25.39 in heat, 25.24 in semi-final - NZR and 11th)
100m Backstroke (Result: 57.43 in heat - NZR, 57.64 in semi-final - 15th)
100m Individual Medley (Result: 59.14 in heat, 58.70 in semi-final - 11th)
Emma Godwin
200m Backstroke (Entry time: 2:05.76)
Larn Hamblyn-Ough
800m Freestyle (Entry time: 7:57.76)
1500m Freestyle (Result: 15:20.84 - PB and 22nd)
Jack Hendy
50m Freestyle (Entry time: 21.89)
Ben Littlejohn
200m Freestyle (Entry time: 1:47.65)
400m Freestyle (Result: 3:47.53 - 27th in PB)
Savannah-Eve Martin
50m Backstroke (Result: 26.98 - 20th in 18 Years NZR and PB)
Gina McCarthy
200m Individual Medley (Result: 2:14.14 - 25th)
400m Individual Medley (Entry time: 4:40.43)
Cooper Morley
50m Backstroke (Result: 23.84 - 21st in PB)
100m Backstroke (Result: 51.14 - 20th in PB)
Hazel Ouwehand
50m Butterfly (Result: 26.04 - 24th)
100m Butterfly (Result: 56.97 in heat - NZR, 56.60 in semi-final - 14th and NZR)
Zoe Pedersen
50m Freestyle (Entry time: 25.35)
100m Freestyle (Result: 53.86 - 31st in 17 Years NZR and PB)
Zyleika Pratt-Smith
200m Breaststroke (Result: 2:25.63 - 26th)
Neve Tassicker
200m Butterfly (Result: 2:12.99 - 23rd)
Eve Thomas
400m Freestyle (Result: 4:06.27 - 16th)
800m Freestyle (Result: 8:22.27 - 10th in PB)
1500m Freestyle (Result: 15:56.27 - 13th in PB)
Jesse Welsh
200m Freestyle (Entry time: 1:59.63)
Hugo Wrathall
100m Freestyle (Result: 49.39 - 55th)
Daily Schedule
*start times are subject to change, while semi-finals and finals are subject to athlete progression.
Saturday 14 December
Day Five Heats – from 9pm NZDT
Women's 400m Individual Medley (McCarthy)
Men's 400m Individual Medley (Brown)
Women's 50m Freestyle (Pedersen)
Men's 50m Freestyle (Hendy)
Women's 50m Breaststroke (Crawford)
Men's 800m Freestyle Timed Final (Hamblyn-Ough)
Mixed 4 x 100m Medley Relay
Sunday 15 December
Day Five Finals – from 5.30am NZDT
Women's 50m Breaststroke Semi-Final (Crawford*) - 5.48am
Women's 50m Freestyle Semi-Final (Pedersen*) - 6.12am
Men's 50m Freestyle Semii-Final (Hendy*) - 6.21am)
Women's 400m Individual Medley Final (McCarthy*) - 6.30am
Men's 400m Individual Medley Final (Brown*) - 6.42am
Mixed 4 x 100m Medley Relay Final* - 7.14am
Day Six Heats – from 9pm NZDT
Women's 200m Freestyle (Welsh)
Men's 200m Freestyle (Littlejohn)
Women's 200m Backstroke (Godwin)
Men's 200m Backstroke (Brown)
Women's 4 x 100m Medley Relay
Men's 4 x 100m Medley Relay
Monday 16 December
Day Six Finals – from 5.30am NZDT
Women's 50m Freestyle Final (Pedersen*) - 5.32am
Men's 50m Freestyle Final (Hendy*) - 5.39am
Women's 50m Breaststroke Final (Crawford*) - 5.47am
Women's 200m Backstroke Final (Godwin*) - 6.02am
Men's 200m Backstroke Final (Brown*) - 6.12am
Women's 200m Freestyle Final (Welsh*) - 6.26am
Men's 200m Freestyle Final (Littlejohn*) - 6.40am
Women's 4 x 100m Medley Relay Final* - 6.54am
Men's 4 x 100m Medley Relay Final* - 7.10am
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