New Zealand Age Group Records Falls at Victoria Age Championships

2018 Victoria Age Championships Day 1 Recap

• 7^thDecember – 11^thDecember
• Melbourne, Australia
• LCM (50m)
• Psych Sheet
• Live Results

The 2019 OPTUS Victorian Age Championships kicked off overnight in Melbourne, Australia with a New Zealand national record falling in the heat’s session.

15-year-old New Zealander, Brearna Crawford dropped over 1.5 seconds to break Natasha Lloyd’s 2011 age group record in a new time of 1:10.86. She backed up the swim in the final, again going under the original record in a 1:11.18 to take gold.

In the 16-year old girls’ 100 backstroke, Gabi Peiniger of MLC Aquatics raced to an impressive 1:03.12 – narrowly off her lifetime best – and a victory by over two seconds.

Evan Chee of Nuna toppled Nicholas Groenewald’s longstanding meet record in the boys’ 13-years 200 IM racing an impressive 2:12.34 in the heat in a lifetime best by over 3 seconds. He went on to drop further to a 2:11.80 in the final taking the gold by over 8 seconds.

Another impressive swim came in the 13 year boys’ category, this time in the 100 backstroke. Stone Ma swum a lifetime best of 1:00.59 in the heat and backed it up in the final with another lifetime best of 1:00.50 – less than a second off the meet record – to take gold by almost 2 seconds.

Visiting Japanese club Itoman dominated the 12 Year 100 breaststroke with Maria Morita taking gold on the girls side by almost 3 seconds, with a 1:16.73, and Haru Okawa taking gold on the boys side by almost 5 seconds with a 1:11.00.

The Victorian Champs continue through to Tuesday 11^thDecember and Queensland and New South Wales State Champs begin next week.