Day 2 Wrap of the World Aquatics Junior Swimming Championships
New Zealand’s Monique Wieruszowski has broken the New Zealand 16-years record to win silver at the World Aquatics Junior Swimming Championships in Netanya, Israel.
Competing in the final of the 50m Breaststroke, 16-year-old Wieruszowski trailed Estonia’s Enil Jefimova from the outset but was able to hang on for silver in 30.68s, breaking the New Zealand 16-years record in the process.
Wieruszowski was 0.26s behind the Estonian, with the USA’s Piper Enge trailing the Kiwi to take bronze in 30.74s.
It is the first medal for New Zealand at this edition of the World Junior Championships.
New Zealand’s Zoe Pedersen and Summer Osborne were also in the pool, competing in the 100m Freestyle.
Pedersen swum a phenomenal heat in 55.73s to break the New Zealand 16-years record. The result placed her 7th and saw her advance to the semi-finals, where she lowered her record to place 10th in 55.69s to narrowly miss out on the final (10th overall).
Teammate Osborne swum a solid backend in her heat to finish just off her PB in a time of 56.83s and place 19th overall.
The final Kiwi in action on day two was Brooke Bennett in the 800m Freestyle. Bennett swam a gutsy race in the gruelling discipline, finishing in 9:08.71s to place 7th in her heat and miss out on finals.
Day three of competition will see four Kiwis in the pool. Wieruszowski will be back in action in the breaststroke, this time contesting the 100m discipline. Zoe Pedersen will contest the 50m Butterfly, Izzie Gibson the 200m Backstroke, and Finn Harland the 50m Backstroke.
