By Dave Crampton
US-based swimmer Natasha Lloyd has broken a national breaststroke record on the open night of the 2015 New Zealand Short Course Championships, which commenced 11 August, with several NAG records also broken.
The championships are the first event at the new Sir Owen G Glenn National Aquatic Centre at AUT Millennium, in Auckland.
Fresh from competing at the World University Games, Lloyd took nearly half a second off the previous 100m mark, clocking 1:08.11.
“I actually came into this meet with very small expectations after South Korea (World University Games), which was about three weeks ago,” said Lloyd. “I hadn’t been training as much as I should have been probably, so I’m absolutely over the moon, I had no idea this would happen, a great confidence boost.”
Lloyd, on scholarship at Auburn University, was also just more than half a second off breaking a minute in the 100 yard event at the NCAA Division 1 women’s championships in March.
Fifteen-year-old Satori Dobbie went under the 50m butterfly NAG record twice – once in the morning and again at night. His best effort was 25.55, down from 25.67. Eight-time world para champion Mary Fisher took out her 50m butterfly event.
Twenty – six year old English swimmer Matt Shead was the sole swimmer to dip under a minute in the men’s 100m breaststroke, winning in 59.52. Shead enjoyed a strong career on scholarship at Florida State University before making his way to New Zealand.
Beijing Olympian William Benson, now a coach at the Heretaunga Sundevils, returned to the pool to win the 50m butterfly in 23.83, pipping World University Games finalist Daniel Hunter and Shead.
Ewan Jackson, also back from the World University Games, took out the 200m freestyle in 1.47.17, well over a second clear of Howick Pakuranga clubmate Daniel Hunter.
“I haven’t been feeling too great lately but I just kind of wanted to attack it and then just win it, I wasn’t really too caught up in the time I just wanted to get that first place,” Jackson said.
Photo Courtesy: Simon Watts/www.bwmedia.co.nz/Swimming New Zealand
Australian Ami Matsuo, a recent gold medallist at the World University Games, showed her class in winning the women’s 200m freestyle final in 1:57.56 with WUG finalist Laura Quilter claiming the national title in a personal best of 1:58.59.
The championships continue until Saturday.
