Records Tumble on Opening Day in Auckland

dale493
Sep 22
5 min read

Day One Wrap - 2025 NZ Short Course Swimming Championships

The first day of racing at the 2025 NZ Short Course Swimming Championships delivered action packed competition, with a host of records falling across open, age group and multi-class categories.

The evening session began with the women’s 100m backstroke, where Coast Swim Club’s Amber George powered home to take the title in 58.26, edging out Paris Olympian Hazel Ouwehand (Phoenix Aquatics) by just 0.11s in a nail-biting finish. Australia’s Sarah Bennett claimed third, while Milan Glintmeyer (Coast) delivered another standout performance in fourth. Glintmeyer’s time of 58.91 not only secured the Kiwi bronze but also lowered the 17 years age group record she had set earlier in the morning session.

The multi-class version of the event saw Chloe Gladwin (Whakatane) storm home to set an S19 New Zealand record in 1:13.95. Paris Paralympian Lili-Fox Mason (Wharenui) finished second and Melissa Donoghue (Hamilton Aquatics) third.

The men’s 100m backstroke was dominated by Australia’s Alex Quach, who led from start to finish to stop the clock at 51.25. Coast’s Jasper Cornish was the top Kiwi, touching in 52.52 to secure the national title. Malaysia’s Daniel Williams claimed third overall, while Alessandro Esposito (Nga Tai Tuatea a Taraika) earned the Kiwi silver and TeRauroha Paki (Northwave) the Kiwi bronze.

The multi-class men’s backstroke produced one of the tightest races of the night, with three swimmers locked side by side heading into the final 25m. Jole Watkins (Pukekohe) held his form under pressure to win in 1:07.94, setting a S19 NZ record. David Beck (Club 37) finished second and James Haydon (Club 37) third. Luka Willems (Wharenui) also impressed, clocking 1:52.69 to set a new S18 NZ record.

In the women’s 200m breaststroke, South Africa's Rebecca Meder (North Shore) pulled away in the second half of the race to claim a comfortable victory in 2:18.71. Coast’s Zyleika Pratt-Smith rose to the occasion with a superb swim, setting a NZ open record in 2:23.15 to take the Kiwi gold. Brearna Crawford (Waitakere) followed for Kiwi silver, with Monique Wieruszowski (North Shore) taking Kiwi bronze.

Pratt-Smith was rapt with her performance.

“I was trying to keep positive and keep that momentum through the whole 200. I knew I had it in me so I’m glad I could get that result tonight, I’m so happy.”

The men’s 200m breaststroke final was one of the races of the night with four swimmers locked neck-and-neck from start to finish. The race came down to a sprint finish across the final 25m with visitor Harrison Biddell touching the wall first in 2:10.84. Hara Hughes (Coast) was just a fraction behind, taking the Kiwi gold in 2:10.94, with Kevin Zhang (Roskill) and Rylind Wheeler (North Canterbury) rounding out the Kiwi podium.

Rebecca Meder returned to the pool for the women’s 100m individual medley, delivering another commanding performance to win in 58.40. Chelsey Edwards (North Shore) was the top New Zealander, taking the Kiwi gold in 1:00.85. Zyleika Pratt-Smith added another medal to her haul with silver, while Gina McCarthy (Hamilton Aquatics & RPC Waikato) claimed bronze.

In the women’s multi-class 100m individual medley, Emily Mullany (Dannevirke) swam just over her time from the heats to win in 1:24.36. Charlotte Rozen (Wharenui) finished second and Lili-Fox Mason third.

The men’s 100m individual medley featured Paris Olympian Cameron Gray (United), who got off to a blistering start. But it was Lewis Clareburt (Club 37) who powered home in the breaststroke and freestyle legs to claim victory in 53.64. Gray touched just 0.13s behind to take silver, with Sam Brown (Coast) rounding out the podium.

Pukekohe’s Daniel Smith was a cut above in the men’s multi-class 100m individual medley. Smith got off to a great start, increasing his lead with each stroke and swimming superbly to finish in a SM19 NZ record of 1:01.43.

Erika Fairweather (North Shore) and Caitlin Deans (Neptune & Swim Dunedin) then battled it out in a hard fought women’s 800m freestyle. Fairweather took a small early lead but Deans stuck with her and worked her way back, with the pair side by side at the halfway mark. Fairweather inched ahead with 50m to go, before finishing strong to win by half a metre in a time of 8:11.32s. Deans finished just behind in 8:11.80s to set a huge 15-second PB. Emilia Finer (Neptune & Swim Dunedin) took bronze.

The men’s 1500m freestyle final was won by Larn Hamblyn-Ough who built a solid lead throughout the race. The Coast swimmer executed a great race to touch the wall in a best time of 15:15.24. There was a fight for second place with little separating Australian visitor Braden Fyneman and Alfie Weatherston Harvey (Kiwi & Swim Dunedin) with 200m to go. Fyneman pulled ahead to finish second with Weatherston Harvey taking the Kiwi silver, and Jack Barton (North Shore) with the Kiwi bronze from the morning timed final.

The 4 x 100m freestyle relays rounded out the day. Chelsey Edwards was in career-best form as she took to the water first for North Shore, with the sprint specialist swimming her 100m in a NZ record of 53.06. Coast Swim Club (Zoe Pedersen, Madison Kidd, Eve Thomas & Milan Glintmeyer) went on to win the women’s relay in 3:39.72, ahead of North Shore, with Hamilton Aquatics securing bronze.

It was a battle for gold in the men’s relay final. Club 37 held a slim lead into the final 25m over Coast Swimming Club A. Coast fought their way but were unable to make up the difference in time, with Club 37 (Lewis Clareburt, Harry Klouwens, Kale Twist, Ryan Peck) finishing just ahead to take the win in 3:14.70, with Coast .24s behind. United Swimming Club A took the Kiwi bronze.

In the multi-class relay the S14 stars team of James Haydon, Bailey Conlon, Jack Bugler and David Beck won in 4.13.36s. The S18 & S19 team placed second, with the MC Relay team in third.

There were many other strong performances across the age groups across the morning. We have acknowledged the record-breaking performances from the morning below:

Milan Glintmeyer - women's 100m backstroke (59.46) - 17 years NZ age record
Te Paki - men's 100m backstroke (54.74) - 15 years NZ age record
Jole Watkins - men's 100m backstroke (1:08.34) - S19 NZ open and age record
Charlotte Rozen - women's 200m breaststroke (4:41.53) - SB18 NZ record
Daniel Smith - men's 200m breaststroke (2:29.99) - SB19 NZ record
Charlotte Murphy (Aquagym) - women's 100m individual medley (1:59.71) - SM6 NZ record
Grayson Coulter (North Shore) - men's 100m individual medley (58.42) - 13 years NZ age record
Chloe Gladwin - women's 800m freestyle multi-class (9:46.29) - S19 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. Day two has plenty more exciting races that you won't want to miss.

All sessions of the event are being streamed live and free on the Swimming NZ YouTube channel.

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