NZL Championships: Fairweather & Tapper Qualify For Singapore In Women’s 200 Free

2025 NEW ZEALAND SWIMMING CHAMPIONSHIPS

Day four of the 2025 New Zealand Swimming Championships was on the subdued side, with just the women’s 200m freestyle producing World Championships-worthy results.

Already the women’s 400m and 800m freestyle victor here, 21-year-old Olympian Erika Fairweather completed her trifecta by touching in a solid 1:56.56 for 2 free gold.

Splitting 27.62/29.46/30.00/29.48, North Shore’s Fairweather led a trio of sub-2:00 swimmers. Joining her was 19-year-old Milana Tapper who secured silver in 1:57.95 followed by Nedtune Swim Club 25-year-old Caitlin Deans who bagged bronze in 1:59.47.

As for Fairweather, her outing tonight represents the 14th-swiftest of her young career, one which boasts a lifetime best and national record of 1:55.44 from the 2023 New Zealand Championships.

Tapper’s effort tonight is a monster career-quickest result for the St. Peter’s Swim Club athlete, ripping apart her previous PB of 2:01.87 logged at last year’s Australian Championships. Not only did she clear the 2:00 barrier for the first time, but Tapper now checks in as New Zealand’s 3rd-best performer in history.

Both Fairweather and Tapper cleared the World Aquatics ‘A’ standard of 1:58.23 needed for Singapore, with Fairweather ranking 12th in the world this season.

1
Leave a Reply

Subscribe
Notify of

1 Comment
newest
oldest most voted
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments
Dan
4 hours ago

Was going to ask what the chances were for New Zealand to fight for a minor medal in the women’s 4 x 200 free but I don’t know if Transom or Thomas are still swimming and I forgot to Russia can swim relays even if it does not say Russia in the results. On the other hand I am not sure if 7.49 would win a medal (1.56+1.57+1.58+1.58)

About Retta Race

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

Read More »