Pedersen Crowned 50m Butterfly World Junior Champion
- dale493
- Aug 23
- 9 min read
Day Four Wrap of the 2025 World Aquatics Junior Swimming Championships
The New Zealand team carried their form into the fourth day of competition at the 2025 World Aquatics Junior Swimming Championships, with three swimmers featuring in the evening session and all breaking New Zealand age records on the big stage. Zoe Pedersen (Coast) was the standout performer, winning the gold medal in a come-from-behind victory in the women’s 50m butterfly final. Monique Wieruszowski (North Shore) produced her best time of the year in the women’s 100m breaststroke final just minutes later to finish fifth in the world. Milan Glintmeyer (Coast) also achieved two personal bests across the day to finish ninth in the women’s 50m backstroke.
Zoe Pedersen came into the final as the fastest seed after her New Zealand age record in the semi-final the previous night. Mizuki Hirai (Japan) had the best of the starts next to her in lane five, with Pedersen alongside having some work to do after getting into her stroke quickly. Pedersen moved through the field to be top three in the dying stages, keeping her head down into the finish and nailed her touch to get her hands on the wall first (25.63) to claim the World Junior Champion title. She couldn’t have executed her finish any better, only hitting the lead with her touch on the wall to narrowly be in front of Hirai (25.66) and Martine Dambourg (Denmark – 25.80). Pedersen improved upon her personal best and the 18 years New Zealand age record she had set in the semi-final the previous day, taking another 0.16 seconds off that mark.
Speaking in the post-race interview poolside, Pedersen spoke through her mindset during the race.
“I was just trying to stay calm, normally I get quite nervous and I overrate but I’ve been working with my coach a lot about staying calm and keeping to my race plan so it’s really cool to see that actually happen.”
Pedersen has since expressed how much this title means to her.
“It's been an epic day for myself and the whole team. I couldn't be prouder standing behind the block. I wanted to have fun and that's exactly what I did. The comps not over yet but having the opportunity to light up the blocks has been epic and singing the national anthem was definitely the highlight.”
Pedersen’s coach and New Zealand Team Head Coach, John Gatfield, was incredibly proud of her performance in the final.
“Zoe’s performance tonight was outstanding and a testament to the hard work she has put in over a long period of time. To see her become a World Junior Champion is an incredible moment not just for her but for the whole team.”
Gatfield also shared that he has been impressed by the whole team so far.
“The energy and togetherness within this group has been special since the staging camp, and the results we’ve seen – from the national records to the personal bests – reflect that collective belief and commitment. I couldn’t be prouder of how the athletes are representing New Zealand here in Romania.”
Pedersen’s teammates were waving the New Zealand flag in the grandstands as Pedersen sang the national anthem with pride on the top step of the podium. Pedersen’s title maintains New Zealand's streak of winning a medal at every World Junior Championships we've sent a team to since the championships were first held in 2006.
Congratulations to Pedersen, coach Gatfield and her support team for her World Junior Champion title. She returns on day five for her last individual event of her programme, the women’s 50m freestyle.
Monique Wieruszowski was in the competition pool shortly after Pedersen’s victory, racing in the women’s 100m breaststroke final. Swimming from lane two, she had a good reaction time to see her with the leaders from the start. She turned in third place with the field bunching up following the breakout, before she made a late surge to move into fifth place at the finish (1:08.65). Smilte Plytnykaite (Lithunia – 1:06.86) claimed the gold medal with Lena Ludwig (Germany – 1:07.60) and Sua Moon (Korea – 1:07.86) rounding out the podium, and Hayley Mackinder (Australia – 1:08.19) just ahead of Wieruszowski in fourth. Wieruszowski swam her fastest time of the year to break the 18 years New Zealand age record in the final.
Wieruszowski was pleased with the resilience she has shown in the past few days coming into the 100m breaststroke.
“Today was about showing up when it would’ve been easier to stay down. After underperforming, I had to dig deep, face adversity, and give it everything I had. I’m proud that I could redeem myself – not because it was perfect – but because I learned, I fought, and I grew. Mistakes teach you more than victories ever will, and I’m leaving hungrier than ever for what’s ahead.”
Wieruszowski will now prepare for her final individual event in Otopeni, the women’s 200m breaststroke, held on the last day of competition.
Milan Glintmeyer (Coast) returned for her second event of the championships, the women’s 50m backstroke, after her record-breaking swims on the opening two days in Romania. Swimming from lane seven in the first of the circle seeded heats, Glintmeyer made a good start and executed her underwater skills to breakout at the 13m mark. She was part of a wall of swimmers through the lap that remained in the striking distance coming under the flags. Glintmeyer importantly timed her touch to be third in the heat (28.52) behind Ainsley Trotter (Australia – 28.14) and Varvara Hlushchenko (Poland – 28.38), with a flurry of competitors not far behind. The result saw Glintmeyer continue her fine form, setting a new personal best and breaking the 17 years New Zealand age record previously held by Gabi Fa’amausili from 2017. In the process, Glintmeyer comfortably qualified for the semi-finals as the ninth fastest from the heats.
In the evening, Kim Seungwon (Korea – 27.77) broke the Championship Record in the first semi-final to beat the previous mark held by Kiwi Gabi Fa’amausili from 2017. Glintmeyer swam in the following semi-final where she started from lane two. She made a good start to see her part of the top five swimmers early. You could throw a blanket across the middle of the pool coming into the dying stages. They lunged to get their hand on the wall with Glintmeyer touching fifth in the semi-final (28.35). Blythe Kinsman (Great Britain – 27.91) narrowly took the win ahead of Ainsley Trotter (Australia – 27.94), Jessica Thompson (South Africa – 27.98) and Hlushchenko (28.14). Glintmeyer went faster again in the semi-final to better her personal best and 17 years New Zealand age record from the morning heat. She narrowly missed out on making the final, finishing in ninth overall.
Glintmeyer was thrilled with her continued record-breaking form at these championships.
“Super stoked to come away with a couple of personal bests. I'm really happy with how that race is progressing. So proud of the team so far, and looking forward to the last two days of racing!”
Glintmeyer will return to the competition pool in the heats session on day five for the women’s 100m butterfly.
Alyssa Tapper (St Peter’s & Griffith University) had to wait until the fourth day of competition to open her campaign, taking on the women’s 400m freestyle. She lined up in lane eight of the fifth heat, where she got away to a good start and settled into her pace quickly. She turned alongside the leaders through the opening lap and held her positioning in seventh through the early stages. She enjoyed a battle with Diana Gabriela Stiger (Romania – 4:15.73) in the lane next to her, with the two trading places during the middle phase of the race. After halfway, the centre lanes pushed the pace with four swimmers breaking away. Tapper surged in the second last lap as she finished strongly as she finished eighth in the heat (4:16.55). She finished 14th overall with the second fastest performance of her career.
Tapper will return for the other event on her schedule, the women’s 200m freestyle, on the final day of competition.
Daniel Kregting (Roskill) also returned for his second swim in Romania, taking on the men’s 50m butterfly. Racing from lane one of the eighth heat, Kregting made a solid start. Nikolaos Spatharakis (Greece - 24.34) looked powerful from the start to blitz the field, with a close bunch trailing. Not much separated second to tenth in the heat, with Kregting getting his hands on the wall in sixth (25.63). Kregting placed 52nd overall with the second fastest swim of his career in an event that was one of the most popular events, with 117 competitors taking to the blocks.
Kregting will take on his preferred distance as the last event of his campaign, the men’s 200m butterfly, on the final day of competition.
Day Five Preview
Igor Russanov (Coast) will be the first Kiwi to hit the competition pool on day five, with the 18-year-old racing the men’s 100m freestyle. Glintmeyer will race the women’s 100m butterfly as her final individual event of her campaign. Ariel Muchirahondo (Swim Rotorua) will take on the men’s 400m individual medley as the current New Zealand age record holder. Pedersen and Alyssa Lawson (Hamilton Aquatics & St Andrew’s) will compete in the 50m freestyle.
The heats session start at 6.30pm NZST and finals from 3am NZST the following morning.
You can stay up-to-date with the action by following our social media channels for updates and our website for day wraps of the action taking place in Romania.
You can watch the livestream through the World Aquatics Recast platform by purchasing access from the link below.
We have provided an overview of the action taking place in each of the remaining days in the daily schedule below. We have also listed the entries and results for each athlete and the team selected to ensure you know everything ahead of the competition in Romania.
Daily Schedule
*Start times are subject to change, while semi-finals and finals are subject to athlete progression
Saturday 23 August
Day Five Heats – from 6.30pm NZST
Men’s 100m freestyle (Russanov)
Women’s 100m butterfly (Glintmeyer)
Men’s 400m individual medley (Muchirahondo)
Women’s 50m freestyle (Pedersen & Lawson)
Sunday 24 August
Day Five Semis/Finals (Potential) – from 3am NZST
Men’s 100m freestyle semi-final (Russanov*)
Women’s 100m butterfly semi-final (Glintmeyer*)
Women’s 50m freestyle semi-final (Pedersen* & Lawson*)
Men’s 400m individual medley final (Muchirahondo*)
Day Six Heats – from 6pm NZST
Men’s 200m backstroke (Muchirahondo)
Women’s 200m breaststroke (Wieruszowski)
Men’s 200m butterfly (Muchirahondo & Kregting)
Women’s 200m freestyle (Tapper)
Women’s 4 x 100m medley relay
Monday 25 August
Day Six Finals (Potential) – from 3am NZST
Men’s 100m freestyle final (Russanov*)
Women’s 200m breaststroke final (Wieruszowski*)
Men’s 200m backstroke final (Muchirahondo*)
Women’s 100m butterfly final (Glintmeyer*)
Women’s 50m freestyle final (Pedersen* & Lawson*)
Men’s 200m butterfly final (Muchirahondo* & Kregting*)
Women’s 200m freestyle final (Tapper*)
Women’s 4 x 100m medley relay*
Swimmer Entries & Results
Milan Glintmeyer
Women’s 50m backstroke (result: 28.35 in semi-final - 9th overall - PB and 17 years NZ age record, 28.52 in heat - PB and 17 years NZ age record)
Women’s 100m backstroke (result: 8th in final - 1:00.90, 1:00.56 in semi-final - PB and 17 years NZ age record, 1:01.07 in heat - 17 years NZ age record)
Women’s 100m butterfly (entry time: 1:00.16)
Daniel Kregting
Men’s 50m butterfly (result: 25.63)
Men’s 100m butterfly (result: 55.43 - 33rd overall - PB)
Men’s 200m butterfly (entry time: 2:02.55)
Alyssa Lawson
Women’s 50m freestyle (entry time: 26.03)
Women’s 100m freestyle (result: 56.93 - 28th overall)
James Leigh
Men’s 200m freestyle (result: 1:51.04 - 21st overall - PB)
Men’s 400m freestyle (result: 3:55.55 - 19th overall - PB)
Men’s 800m freestyle (result: 8:13.96 - 22nd overall - PB)
Ariel Muchirahondo
Men’s 100m backstroke (result: 56.51 - 25th overall - PB and 16 years NZ age record)
Men’s 200m backstroke (entry time: 2:01.89)
Men’s 200m butterfly (entry time: 2:06.30)
Men’s 200m individual medley (result: 2:04.70 - 24th overall)
Men’s 400m individual medley (entry time: 4:24.46)
Zoe Pedersen
Women’s 50m freestyle (entry time: 25.43)
Women’s 100m freestyle (result: 8th in final - 55.06, 55.03 in semi-final - PB and 18 years NZ age record, 55.16 in heat - PB and 18 years NZ age record)
Women’s 50m butterfly (result: Gold Medal - 25.63 in final - PB and 18 years NZ age record, 25.79 in semi-final - PB and 18 years NZ age record, 26.17 in heat)
Igor Russanov
Men’s 50m freestyle (result: 23.29 - 29th overall)
Men’s 100m freestyle (entry time: 50.64)
Alyssa Tapper
Women’s 200m freestyle (entry time: 2:02.58)
Women’s 400m freestyle (result: 4:16.55 - 14th overall)
Monique Wieruszowski
Women’s 50m breaststroke (result: 32.48 - 21st overall)
Women’s 100m breaststroke (result: 5th in final - 1:08.65 - 18 years NZ age record, 1:09.01 in semi-final - 18 years NZ age record, 1:09.69 in heat - 18 years NZ age record at 50m split - 31.80)
Women’s 200m breaststroke (entry time: 2:31.92)
Women’s 4 x 100m medley relay (no entry time)
Athletes and order TBC
Team Selected
The swimmers selected to represent New Zealand:
Name | Club | Coach | Role |
Milan Glintmeyer | Coast | John Gatfield | Swimmer |
Daniel Kregting | Roskill | Josh Munro | Swimmer |
Alyssa Lawson | Hamilton Aquatics & St Andrew's | Brad Hillier | Swimmer |
James Leigh | Coast & Marist | James Boyce | Swimmer |
Ariel Muchirahondo | Swim Rotorua | Aidan Withington | Swimmer |
Zoe Pedersen | Coast | John Gatfield | Swimmer |
Igor Russanov | Coast | John Gatfield | Swimmer |
Alyssa Tapper | St Peter's & Griffith University | Tom Fraser-Holmes | Swimmer |
Monique Wieruszowski | North Shore | Graham Hill | Swimmer |
The coaches and support staff selected to guide our New Zealand are:
Name | Organisation | Role |
John Gatfield | Coast | Head Coach |
Aidan Withington | Swim Rotorua | Assistant Coach |
Amanda White | Swimming NZ | Team Manager |
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