2018 NEW ZEALAND OPEN CHAMPIONSHIPS
- Monday, July 2nd – Friday, July 6th
- Sir Owen G. Glenn National Aquatic Center
- LCM
- Meet Site
- Psych Sheets
- NZ Pan Pacific Championships Selection Criteria
- Live Stream
- Meet Results
One senior Pan Pacs qualifier, one Junior Pan Pacs qualifier, and a handful of National Age Records highlighted the first day of competition at the New Zealand Open Championships on Monday evening.
This is the last opportunities for NZ swimmers to qualify for this summer’s Pan Pac Championships, the country’s primary summer long course competition, and one swimmer stamped her name on the list on the opening night of competition: 23-year old Brisbane-based Emma Robinson.
She won the women’s 800 free in 8:35.00, which was three-and-a-half seconds clear of the requisite standard – without a taper.
“The support from the crowd was just awesome… I had a plan with my coach to not taper for this event, so it was a fine balance to being able to get the time and be ready for Pan Pacs in a few weeks.”
Finishing 2nd in that 800 free was Hayley McIntosh in 8:54.23, and Eve Thomas was 3rd in 8:56.23. For Thomas, that’s a new personal best time and a qualifying swim for the Junior Pan Pacs.
National Age Record Swims
- 15-yaer old Michael Pickett broke his own 15 years National Age Record in the 50 fly twice, first with a 25.46 in prelims, and then with a 25.21 in the evening to win the B-Final. His previous best was a 25.51. Daniel Hunter won that event in 23.99.
- Pickett broke another 15-year olds record later in the session when he led off North Shore’s 400 free relay with a 50.69. This again broke his own record of 51.21, with North Shore finishing 2nd behind the Hunter-anchored Howick Pakuranga.
- Howick Pakuranga had a National Age Group Record of their own in that relay – their leadoff Tyron Henry went sub-51 for the first time in his career (50.91) to break the 16-year olds’ record. This means, however, that Pickett’s record for 15-year olds is faster than Henry’s record for 16-year olds.
- Both Henry’s and Pickett’s times from those relay leadoffs were under the qualifying times for Junior Pan Pacs and the Youth Olympic Games.
Jr. Pan Pacs Selection Standards:
- B. 100 free – Tyron Henry, Howick Pakuranga, 50.91
- B. 100 free – Michael Pickett, North Shore, 50.69
- B. 400 free – Quinton Hurley, Jasi, 4:03.41
- B. 200 back – Thomas Watkins, Capital, 2:03.75
- G. 800 free – Eve Thomas, Coast, 8:56.23
- G. 800 free – Erika Fairweather, Neptune, 8:57.60
- G. 200 back – Gina Galloway, United, 2:15.71
Other Event Winners:
- Zac Reid from Aquabladz New Plymouth Swimming dominated the men’s 400 free, winning in 3:51.10. At 18, that’s a qualifying standard the Youth Olympic Games (though selection for that meet won’t be made until later, given the 4-per-gender cap). He won the race by more than 6 seconds.
- Karolina Hajkova, a Slovakian national, won the women’s 200 backstroke in 2:14.43. Emma Godwin was 2nd in 2:15.32.
- Kane Follows from Mt. Eden Swimming won the men’s 200 backstroke in 2:01.17.
- Vanessa Ouwehand from St. Peter’s Swimming Club (NZ) won the women’s 50 fly in 27.65, with Galloway close behind in 27.87.
- North Shore completed a day 1 relay sweep when their women’s team swam a 3:52.59 to win by five-and-a-half seconds.
- 17-year old Commonwealth Games participant Celyn Edwards was the lone double winner on the night, topping both the men’s 50 backstroke multi-class race and the men’s 400 free multi-class race. Note: the multi-class finishers are ranked by time, which does not necessarily correlate to finish, as swimmers are compared to the World Records for their class to achieve a point score.
Combined Team Scores After Day 1
Top 5:
- North Shore Swimming Club – 906
- Capital Swim Club – 582
- Howick Pakuranga – 398
- United Swimming Club – 360
- St. Peter’s Swimming Club – 232
