Champion Paralympic swimmer Sophie Pascoe has set the New Zealand Short Course Championships alight by smashing two Para swimming world short course records on the opening day of competition.
Day one action was highlighted by Pascoe (QEII Swim Club) breaking the women’s 200m S10 short course world record by almost four seconds in a new personal best time of 2:06.58.
“The 200 free was not just a great race because of the PB and world record but also how I executed the race plan. Being a sprinter, I do tend to go out a little fast but I really backed up my last 100“, says Pascoe.
Pascoe then followed it up by breaking her own 50m butterfly S10 world short course record, which she’d set earlier on the day, in a time of 28.42.
The challenge of short course meets is one Pascoe is embracing,
“Short course obviously isn’t in my favour with missing my leg and turning a lot, so it’s been a great challenge to make sure all the turns have to be fast and sharp to get PBs“.
The New Zealand women’s 100m short course breaststroke record was broken twice today. In the morning heats Rio Olympian Helena Gasson (Coast Swim Club) set a new record in the morning heats only be pipped in the final by .03 of a second by Porirua swimmer Bronagh Ryan in 1:07.35.
Nevill Sutton who coaches Ryan was elated after the final. “It’s great to see Bronagh and Helena, who are a little older, in a close final like that pushing each other right to the finish, it’s great for the sport“.
Gasson later returned to win gold in the 50m butterfly final in 27.07 ahead of Rebekah Bradley (27.36) and Gabrielle Fa’amausili (27.41) from United Swimming Club.
The highly anticipated finals showdown in the men’s 400m individual medley between Bradlee Ashby (Fairfield) and Lewis Clareburt (Capital) never eventuated. Clareburt was disqualified in his heat.
Ashby won gold in a time of 4:10.12 with North Shore club swimmers Andrew Trembath (4:18.87) winning silver and Callum Prime (4:20.68) bronze.
DAY 2 ‘MATCH UP’S TO LOOK OUT FOR’:
Women’s 100m Backstroke – Gabrielle Fa’amausili and Bobby Gichard.
Men’s 200m IM – Bradlee Ashby, Wilrich Coetzee and Lewis Clareburt are top three seeds.
The 2017 NZ Short Course Championships are held at the Sir Owen G. Glenn National Aquatic Centre, Auckland, from Tuesday 3rd October till Saturday 7th October. Morning sessions start at 9am with evening finals sessions starting at 6pm.
LINK TO RESULTS: swimming.org.nz
