Auckland Kicks Off With Menu Of Stroke 50’s

2020 AUCKLAND C’SHIPS (NZL)

The 2020 Auckland Championships kicked off today with timed finals taking place at the West Wave Aquatic Center. The 5-day meet representing the first domestic Olympic qualifying opportunity for Kiwi swimmers.

Swimming New Zealand’s qualification criteria are rather broad for the Tokyo Games, with athletes merely needing to clock a qualification time beneath those listed below at any FINA-sanctioned Olympic qualifying event taking place between March 2019 and May 21, 2021.

Today was just a collection of non-Olympic 50’s, however, beginning with the men’s 50m breast. Taking the meet title was 22-year-old Josh Pickett of Pukekohe. Pickett touched the wall in a time of 28.12 to clear the field by over half a second.

In the women’s edition, it was 19-year-old Kaylee Jackson who got it done for the top prize, with the Jasi Swim Club athlete producing a mark of 32.89 as the only sub-33 second swimmer of the field.

Moving on to the men’s 50m fly, Ben Littlejohn logged a time of 25.10 to get to the wall a fingernail ahead of Chris Dawson. Dawson settled for silver in 25.12 to give 17 points to his Coast Swimming Club.

Hazel Ouwehand of Phoenix Aquatics logged a winning time of 27.74 to top the women’s 50m fly podium, followed by a trio of teenagers. Coast Swimming Club 16-year-old Aimee Crosbie snagged the silver in 27.72, while Laura Littlejohn (16) of St. Paul’s and Brearna Crawford (17) of Waitakere Swimming Club tied in 27.96 for co-bronze.

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Aussieone
3 years ago

Is Josh Pickett related to Michael Pickett who now trains in Australia ?

Troyy
Reply to  Aussieone
3 years ago

I was wondering the same thing!

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Retta Race

Former Masters swimmer and coach Loretta (Retta) thrives on a non-stop but productive schedule. Nowadays, that includes having just earned her MBA while working full-time in IT while owning French 75 Boutique while also providing swimming insight for BBC.

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