Erika Fairweather Takes Down 27-Year-Old NZL Age Record In 800 Free

2020 NEW ZEALAND SC CHAMPIONSHIPS

• Tuesday, October 6th – Saturday, October 10th
• Waterworld Te Rapa, New Zealand
• SCM (25m)
• Psych Sheets
• SwimSwam Preview
• Day 1 Recap/Day 2 Recap/Day 3 Recap
• Results

Another day and another New Zealand Age Record falls at the hands of World Junior champion Erika Fairweather.

Competing on the final day at her nation’s short course championships in Hamilton, 16-year-old Fairweather busted out the fastest 800m freestyle time of her career. Hitting a time of 8:25.61, the teen crushed tonight’s field, as well as the previous NZL age mark of 8:37.20 that Anna Wilson put on the books way back in 1993. That means Fairweather just surpassed a record that has stood for 27 years.

For perspective, although no times for storied New Zealand Olympic medalist Lauren Boyle exist in the NZL database at age 16, we can see that at age 17 Boyle was 8:42.18. That gives us an additional perspective on Fairweather’s outing here tonight in terms of domestic history.

Splits for Fairweather’s standout performance are below:

Additional swims of note on this final day of competition include Quinton Hurley‘s victory in the men’s 1500m free in a time of 15:12.78, along with Emma Godwin‘s taking of the women’s 200m back in 2:07.74.