Record Numbers and Record Swims at NZ Secondary Schools
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Competition Wrap – 2026 NZ Secondary School Swimming Championships
More than 800 students converged on the Sir Owen G Glenn National Aquatic Centre in Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland for the 2026 NZ Secondary School Swimming Championships from 30 July – 2 August. The four-day competition saw swimmers from more than 170 schools create an outstanding atmosphere around the facility while battling for national secondary school honours.
The event was the largest edition of the championships to date, continuing the trend of year-on-year growth. The scale of the championships was remarkable, with the pool deck and stands buzzing across four days of racing. The 50m freestyle alone saw 580 swimmers take to the blocks, showcasing the depth and growth of school swimming across New Zealand.
There were plenty of moments that brought the crowd to life throughout the championships, with school pride on full display. The relays were once again a highlight, with cheering reaching fever pitch during the team events. The variety of relay events across the four days allowed schools of all sizes to compete.
The Random Medley Skins were another crowd favourite, with close battles and double school points creating an exciting spectacle. The slowest two swimmers per round were eliminated until only two swimmers remained for the fourth and final round, with the stroke for the following deciding by spinning the wheel.
Kase Glintmeyer (Whangaparaoa College) went back-to-back in the under-16 men's skins, defending his title from last year. It was a tight battle between Glintmeyer and Jackson Rowlands (New Plymouth Boys' High School) over the final 50m, which was swum as backstroke. On the women's side, Amelia McEwan (Mount Maunganui College) claimed the win over Hope Wang (St Cuthbert's College) in the final 50m freestyle.
Luojingxi Chen (Wellington College) claimed the men's 16 years & over skins title, beating Osbert Gu (Pinehurst School) to the wall in the final 50m backstroke. Laura Menzies (Rolleston College) took the win in the women's event, finishing ahead of Paige Franklin (Central Hawke's Bay College) in the final 50m butterfly.
If you missed the action – or want to relive it – all sessions from the championships are available to watch on demand via the Māori+ YouTube channel.
Special thanks to our competition partners – AUT Millennium, Whakaata Māori & Māori+, Bayleys, Caltex, Nateva, Apollo Projects, and Anchor – for their support in bringing these championships to life.
Below are some of the standout performances from the championships, including record-breaking swims, school trophy winners, and sponsor award recipients. Congratulations to every swimmer who took part, with personal bests achieved across all four days.
New Zealand Records
Fast swimming was on display throughout the championships, with 25 New Zealand records broken across the four days.
Milan Glintmeyer (Whangaparaoa College), who is set to compete at the Pan Pacific Swimming Championships next week, produced one of the standout swims of the meet by lowering her 17 years NZ age record in the 100m backstroke to a blistering 57.92.
Aquablack Rylee Sayer (Hauraki Plains College) was also in exceptional form, setting four New Zealand open records in the S7 classification. The 17-year-old is set to compete at the Para Pan Pacific Swimming Championships later this month.
Charlie Dickison (Wellington College) completed a clean sweep of the 15 years New Zealand age records, setting new marks across the 50m, 100m, and 200m freestyle events. Rui Hou (ACG Parnell College) also impressed, breaking both the 17 years 50m and 100m freestyle records, with both swimmers showing strong form ahead of the Junior Pan Pacific Swimming Championships in a couple of weeks' time.
One of the most memorable moments of the week came in the men's 100m butterfly. Kento Wangford (Botany Downs Secondary College) broke the 15 years New Zealand age record on his 15th birthday, only for his Parnell club mate Michael Chen (Saint Kentigern College) to lower the mark one race later.
In total, 25 national records were broken across the championships.
A full overview of these record-breaking performances is displayed below by session.
Session Two
Milan Glintmeyer (Whangaparoa College) – 100m backstroke (57.92) – 17 years NZ age record
Charlie Dickison (Wellington College) – 50m freestyle (22.77) – 15 years NZ age record
Session Three
Kento Wangford (Botany Downs Secondary College) – 200m butterfly (2:03.00) – 14 years NZ age record
Jonty Howland (Feilding High School) – 50m breaststroke SB6 (47.04) – Open + 16/U NZ record
Connor Jenkins (Burnside High School) – 50m breaststroke (28.23) – 16 years NZ age record
Jessica Johnstone (St Peter's School Cambridge) – 50m breaststroke SB9 (35.35) – 16/U NZ age record
Charlie Dickison – 100m freestyle (49.98) – 15 years NZ age record
Rui Hou (ACG Parnell College) – 100m freestyle (48.74) – 17 years NZ age record
Rylee Sayer (Hauraki Plains College) – 100m freestyle S7 (1:14.52) – Open NZ record
Session Four
Jessica Johnstone (St Peter's Cambridge) – 100m breaststroke SB9 (1:16.96) – 16/U NZ age record
Emily Mullany (Feilding High School) – 100m breaststroke SB19 (1:33.24) – 16/U NZ age record
Rylee Sayer – 50m butterfly S7 (35.67) – Open NZ record
Session Five
Kento Wangford – 100m butterfly (55.26) – 15 years NZ age record
Michael Chen (Saint Kentigern College) – 100m butterfly (54.70) – 15 years NZ age record
Jonty Howland – 200m freestyle S6 (2:50.69) – 16/U NZ age record
Charlie Dickison – 200m freestyle (1:50.08) – 15 years NZ age record
Quinn Pike (St Peter's School Cambridge) – 200m freestyle S19 (2:16.48) – NZ Open + 16/U record
Rylee Sayer – 200m freestyle S7 (2:41.98) – NZ Open record
Session Six
Grayson Coulter (Rangitoto College) – 50m freestyle (23.45) – 14 years NZ age record
Rui Hou – 50m freestyle (22.17) – 17 years NZ age record
Quinn Pike – 50m freestyle S19 (29.36) – NZ Open + 16/U record
Rylee Sayer – 50m freestyle S7 (33.01) – NZ Open record
Top School Trophies
The top school trophies were highly sought after across the championships.
Top Co-Ed School – Rangitoto College
Top Boys School – Auckland Grammar
Top Girls School – Waikato Diocesan
Top Multi-Class School – Feilding High School
Top Boys Relay School – Wellington College
Top Girls Relay School – Mount Albert Grammar School
Sponsor Awards
We were grateful to have some of the competition partners offer awards during the championships.
Caltex - Good Sport Award
Recognises a good sport whom makes a positive impact on those around them.
Winner: Gerald Cunningham (Villa Maria College)
A dedicated volunteer official, Gerald goes above and beyond to ensure swim meets run smoothly, from officiating races to setting up and troubleshooting technical equipment in his local region. Known for his reliability, generosity, and genuine care for the swimming community, Gerald supports athletes, coaches, and fellow volunteers alike. His selfless commitment, both in Canterbury and at national events, makes him a deserving recipient of the Caltex Good Sport Award.
Bayleys - Altogether Better Award
Awarded to a school who is altogether better.
Winner: The Catlins Area School
The Catlins Area School embodies what it means to be Altogether Better. Despite being a team of just two swimmers from a small rural school, they support each other through every training session, every race, and every challenge. Travelling the length of the country to compete takes commitment, resilience, and teamwork, and they prove that a great team isn't defined by numbers. Their spirit, determination, and unwavering support for one another make them deserving of this award.
Nateva - Leading with Nature Award
Recognises those who lift others up, lead by example, and show resilience.
Winner: Nathan Whitehead (Francis Douglas Memorial College)
As a Year 13 student leader and House Leader at Francis Douglas Memorial College, Nathan took the initiative to bring together the school's first team for the NZ Secondary School Swimming Championships. Through his determination and organisation, he secured the commitment of eight swimmers, coordinated accommodation and team uniforms, and created an opportunity for students to represent their school together rather than compete individually. Nathan leads by example with quiet confidence, resilience, and genuine commitment to others, making a lasting difference to his teammates and school community.
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