Collins Breaks Age-Group Butterfly Record on Day 4 of NZ Championships

Courtesy: Swimming New Zealand

Pierce Collins broke a thirteen-year-old national age-group record in the 100m butterfly final, on day 4 of the 2018 Aon New Zealand National Age Group Championships.

Collins, 13, from SwimZone in the Hutt Valley, stopped the clock at 1:00.63s to shave off 0.26s from the previous record held by Mitchell Donaldson.

“I was just off the record this morning, so my coach wanted me to go out a bit faster, on the first lap I changed my stroke pattern and it worked,” Pierce said in his post-race interview.

Ethan Watson (United) was second in 1:04.02s and Gavin Moon (Tawa) third with a time of 1:04.86s.

The win is Collins’ fourth title of the championships.

Earlier in the week, Collins broke his own age-group record in the boy’s 200m butterfly in a new personal best time of 2:13.92s.

Erika Fairweather, 14, from Neptune swim club in Dunedin added two more national titles to the three she’d won earlier in the competition.
In the girls 14-years 400m individual medley final, Fairweather built a commanding lead after the first 100m and stormed home to win by over 15 seconds in 5:01.52s, also a new personal best time.

Madison Wills (Kiwi) was second in 5:16.80 and Sophie Shallard (Hokonui) third in 5:17.31s.

Fairweather also dominated the 200m backstroke final, finishing first in 2:23.13s (PB).

Holly Rahurahu (North Canterbury) was second in 2:25.79 and Chloe Seaman (North Shore) third in 2:25.91s.

Gina McCarthy, 15, from Hillcrest swim club in the Waikato, also won two age-group titles on day 4.

McCarthy was the top seed going into the final of the girls 15-years 400m individual medley final.

She finished in a new personal best time of 5:01.53s, over 10 seconds ahead of Molly Shivnan (Mt Maunganui) who was second in 5:11.78s, and Star Teaukura (North Shore) third in 5:17.92s.

In the 200m backstroke final McCarthy won by just over one second (2:20.29s PB) from a fast finishing Paris Cutler (Kiwi West) who caught Sophie Irving (Capital) in the final 20m.

Both Cutler (2:21.24s) and Irving (2:21.69s) recorded personal best times.

The most anticipated race of the evening was the boys 16-18 years 200m backstroke final.

In the lead up to the event, the race had garnered some light-hearted social media interest between swimmers, which created an electric atmosphere amongst the crowd.

Lewis Clareburt from Wellington’s Capital swim club won the final convincingly in 2:01.67s (PB).

Andrew Jeffcoat (Fairfield) was second in 2:01.67s and Thomas Watkins (Capital) third in 2:04.16s.

Clareburt returned to later in the session to win the 100m butterfly final in another personal best time of 54.45s.

Tyler Finau, 13, from Gisborne’s Enterprise club, was another two time title winner on day 4.

Finau won the 12-13 years 400m individual medley and 200m backstroke finals.

2018 Aon NZ AGE GROUP CHAMPIONSHIP WINNERS – DAY 4

Event: 400m Individual Medley
Girls 12-13 years A-Final Winner: Tyler Finau (Enterprise). Time: 05:09.77 PB
Girls 14 years A-Final Winner: Erika Fairweather (Neptune). Time: 05:01.52 PB
Girls 15 years A-Final Winner: Gina McCarthy (Hillcrest). Time: 5:01.53
Girls 16-18 years A-Final Winner: Mya Rasmussen (Kiwi West). Time: 4:51.45

Event: 200m Backstroke
Boys 12-13 years A-Final Winner: Gustav Campher (HPK). Time: 2.19.03 PB
Boys 14 years A-Final Winner: Tarquin Magner (Coast). Time: 2:08.91 PB
Boys 15 years A-Final Winner: Angus Kelliher (North Canterbury). Time: 2.08.09 PB
Boys 16-18 years A-Final Winner: Lewis Clareburt (Capital). Time: 2:01.67 PB
Girls 12-13 years A-Final Winner: Tyler Finau (Enterprise). Time: 2:22.83 PB
Girls 14 years A-Final Winner: Erika Fairweather (Neptune). Time: 2:23.13 PB
Girls 15 years A-Final Winner: Gina McCarthy (Hillcrest). Time: 2:20.29 PB
Girls 16-18 years A-Final Winner: Gina Galloway (United). Time: 2:16.42 PB

Event: 100m Butterfly
Boys 12-13 years A-Final Winner: Pierce Collins (SwimZone). Time: 1:00.63 PB + NAG Rec
Boys 14 years A-Final Winner: Taiko Torepe-Ormsby (Wharenui). Time: 58.88 PB
Boys 15 years A-Final Winner: Tristan Eiselen (Liz van Welie) Time: 56.75 PB
Boys 16-18 years A-Final Winner: Lewis Clareburt (Capital). Time: 54.45 PB
Girls 12-13 years A-Final Winner: Elizabeth Murphy (Fulton). Time: 1:05.81 PB
Girls 14 years A-Final Winner: Aimee Crosbie (United). Time: 1:03.39 PB
Girls 15 years A-Final Winner: Bre Crawford (MAGS). Time: 1:01.83 PB
Girls 16-18 years A-Final Winner: Tori McTeigue (North Shore). Time: 1:01.98 PB

Event: 1500m Freestyle
Boys 12-13 years Winner: James Donovan (Coast). Time: 17:42.32 PB
Visitor Gold: John-William Dabin (New Caledonia). Time: 17:38.31
Boys 14 years Winner: Joshua Balmer (Rotorua). Time: 17.38.31 PB
Boys 15 years Winner: Bronson Lloyd (Raumati). Time: 16.38.19 PB
Boys 16-18 years Winner: Zac Reid (Aquabladz). Time: 15.44.51

FULL LIST OF DAY 4 RESULTS
Click below for a full list of todays results.
LINK: Session Seven
LINK: Session Eight

Club Points Update
LINK: Click Here

IMPORTANT INFORMATION
The 2018 Aon NZ National Age Group Championships are currently being held at the Sir Owen G. Glenn National Aquatic Centre from April 17-21.

VISION: The meet is live-streamed on the SNZ Facebook Page.

For more details, see the main event page.

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A swimmer
5 years ago

1:00 in the fly is top 20 at best in the u.s

Coach John
Reply to  A swimmer
5 years ago

are you comparing New Zealand to the US? lol

James
Reply to  A swimmer
5 years ago

You did notice that it is a 13 y old swimming a 100 meter fly right? According the USA Swimming times search, there have only been 2 13 year old swimmers faster this year. For a much smaller country, that’s an impressive time (or really impressive no matter what)

Bigtales
Reply to  James
5 years ago

Remember, US just started their long course season, NZ is probably finishing. Big difference

Seaworthy
Reply to  A swimmer
5 years ago

Maybe?!?