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Sayer & Smith-Franklin Debut as Aquablacks

Day Three Wrap – 2025 World Para Swimming Championships


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Rylee Sayer (Matamata) and Asher Smith-Franklin (North Shore) were the two Kiwi swimmers in action on day three of the 2025 World Para Swimming Championships in Singapore. Both teenagers made their first appearance of the championships and became Aquablacks.


Sayer competed in the women’s 100m breaststroke SB7 final, with the now 17-year-old celebrating her birthday from the previous day by representing New Zealand at the pinnacle level for the first time.


Sayer started the final from lane one and set about her work early to surface alongside the lead group from the start. Sayer showed her intent through the opening lap with a strong kick to turn in sixth, before finishing strong (1:46.33). The result was the second fastest time of her career and fastest outside of New Zealand, with the debutant finishing sixth in the world.


Mariia Pavlova (Neutral Athletes – 1:24.51) was dominant from the outset as she won gold in a new World Record time. Iona Winnifrith (Great Britain – 1:26.57) had pace to burn late as she motored to the silver medal with Nahia Zudaire Borrezo (Spain – 1:33.87) claiming the bronze.


Congratulations to Sayer, her coach Graeme Laing and her wider support team for becoming Aquablack #295. Sayer will return on day five for the women’s 50m butterfly S7.


Asher Smith-Franklin made his Aquablack debut during the morning session, with the 19-year-old becoming our first Aquablack to compete in the S14 classification. He competed in the men’s 100m breaststroke SB14 heats, starting from lane one of the second heat. He got away from the blocks well and into his stroke alongside the leaders through the opening 15m. Smith-Franklin turned equal sixth at halfway, and got his hands on the wall seventh in his heat (1:12.24).


Jake Michel (Australia – 1:04.13) led the way throughout to be the fastest of the swimmers from the heats to progress through to the final, with the top four in the heat qualifying for the final. Smith-Franklin placed 14th on debut.


Congratulations to Smith-Franklin, his coach Graham Hill and his wider support team for becoming Aquablack #296. He returns for the men’s 200m individual medley SM14 on day five.


Day Four Preview

Reigning World Champion Cameron Leslie (Whangarei) is the sole Kiwi in action on day four in Singapore. He will race in the men’s 50m backstroke S4.


Heats each day commence at 1pm NZST and the finals each day from 9.30pm NZST. You can find the detailed daily schedule and results for our team below.


You can stay up-to-date with the action by following our social media channels for live updates and our website for wraps of the action taking place each day.








You can watch the livestream for free, live or on demand, on the Paralympics YouTube channel.






Daily Schedule

*Start times are subject to change, while finals are subject to athlete progression


Wednesday 24 September


Day Four Heats - from 1pm NZST

  • Men's 50m backstroke S4 (Leslie)


Day Four Finals - from 9.30pm NZST

  • Men's 50m backstroke S4 (Leslie*)


Thursday 25 September


Day Five Heats - from 1pm NZST

  • Men's 50m freestyle S4 (Leslie)

  • Women's 50m butterfly S7 (Sayer)

  • Men's 200m individual medley SM14 (Smith-Franklin)


Day Five Finals - from 9.30pm NZST

  • Men's 50m freestyle S4 (Leslie*)

  • Women's 50m butterfly S7 (Sayer*)

  • Men's 200m individual medley SM14 (Smith-Franklin*)


Friday 26 September


Day Six Heats - from 1pm NZST

  • Women's 50m freestyle S7 (Sayer)


Day Six Finals - from 9.30pm NZST

  • Women's 50m freestyle S7 (Sayer*)


Saturday 27 September


Day Seven Heats - from 1pm NZST

  • Men's 100m breaststroke SB8 (Willmer)

  • Women's 100m freestyle S7 (Sayer)

  • Men's 100m butterfly S14 (Smith-Franklin)


Day Seven Final - from 9.30pm NZST

  • Men's 100m breaststroke SB8 (Willmer*)

  • Women's 100m freestyle S7 (Sayer*)

  • Men's 100m butterfly S14 (Smith-Franklin*)


Swimmer Results


Cameron Leslie

  • Men's 100m freestyle S4 (result: 1:30.78 in final = 6th overall, 1:34.43 in heat)

  • Men's 50m backstroke S4 (entry time: 43.05)

  • Men's 50m freestyle S4 (entry time: 37.24)


Rylee Sayer

  • Women's 100m breaststroke SB7 (result: 1:46.33 - 6th overall)

  • Women's 50m butterfly S7 (entry time: 37.36)

  • Women's 50m freestyle S7 (entry time: 34.34)

  • Women's 100m freestyle S7 (entry time: 1:18.73)


Gaby Smith

  • Women's 100m breaststroke SB9 (result: 1:19.56 = Silver & PB)

  • Women's 200m individual medley SM10 (result: 2:40.00 = 8th overall)


Asher Smith-Franklin

  • Men's 100m breaststroke SB14 (result: 1:12.24)

  • Men's 200m individual medley SM14 (entry time: 2:16.06)

  • Men's 100m butterfly S14 (entry time: 58.87)


Josh Willmer

  • Men's 100m breaststroke SB8 (entry time: 1:12.52)


Selected Team

The swimmers selected to represent New Zealand:

Name
Aquablack Number
Club
Coach

Cameron Leslie

272

Whangarei

Tom Onley

Rylee Sayer

Debutant

Matamata

Graeme Laing

Gaby Smith

274

Vikings & University of Queensland

David Heyden

Asher Smith-Franklin

Debutant

North Shore

Graham Hill

Josh Willmer

275

Coast

Michael Weston

The coaches and support staff selected to guide our Aquablacks are:

Name
Organisation
Role

Simon Mayne

Swimming NZ

Head Coach

Tom Onley

Whangarei

Assistant Coach

Elliot Snedden

HPSNZ

Performance Analyst

Amanda White

Swimming NZ

Team Manager


 
 
 

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