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Records & Qualifying Marks Highlight Opening Day in Hawke's Bay

Day One Wrap - 2025 Apollo Projects NZ Age Group Swimming Championships

It was an excellent first day of racing at the 2025 Apollo Projects NZ Age Group Swimming Championships in Hawke’s Bay. The grandstands were full, the crowd was in full voice and the atmosphere was buzzing as the action got underway for what promises to be a thrilling week.


There were some standout performances on the opening day, with four swimmers breaking NZ Records and one swimmer securing a qualifying time for the 2025 World Para Swimming Championships to take place in Singapore.





Rylee Sayer (Matamata) continues to impress as she goes from strength to strength. Having already achieved a qualifying time for Singapore in recent months, Sayer took no time to display her prowess by dipping under the mark in the 50m freestyle multi-class heats (36.11), before smashing her S7 NZ Record by nearly a second to post the fastest time in the world for 2025 (34.34). Sayer looked powerful through the water and will be one to watch for the remainder of the championships as she has five more events to come.


In the same 50m freestyle multi-class event, Quinn Pike (Hamilton Aquatics) broke her S19 NZ Record (open and 16&U age) twice in one day, firstly in the heat (30.24) before creeping faster in the final (30.20) to claim the gold medal. Pike looked impressive as she motored down the single-lap race, so keep an eye on her as she takes on another six events in the remaining four days.


Grayson Coulter (North Shore) had burst on to the scene in recent times, breaking six 13 years NZ Age Records in the months leading into his first national championships. The 13-year-old impressed from his first outing, claiming his first two age titles whilst claiming two of his NZ Age Records in the process. In the 100m butterfly, Coulter (57.56) was comprehensive in his age final to shave 0.33 seconds off his previous best. He backed up this performance a short while later in the 50m freestyle where he equalled his best (24.66). Coulter will return for another seven events in the coming days.


Charlotte Murphy (Aquagym – 2:01.26) produced her career best in the 100m butterfly multi-class, taking nearly five seconds off her previous S6 NZ Record, before she took out the national title in the final.


There wasn’t just qualifying times and record-breaking performances to enjoy on the first day of competition. Whilst there were too many results to celebrate in total, we wanted to highlight some other close battles, impressive results and swims that brought the locals to their feet.


Local Hawke’s Bay swimmers Scarlett Botes (Napier Aquahawks – 1:05.20) and Sam Skidmore (Trojans – 58.55) took home their respective 15 years national age titles in the 100m butterfly. Botes pushed to hold off the challenge from Hannah Sampson (SwimZone Racing – 1:05.78) in the dying stages, whereas Skidmore did his work early to establish a strong lead by the turn.


Neo Salomonsson (Kiwi – 55.04) produced a massive personal best to the claim the 16 years title in the 100m butterfly. Salomonsson looked strong from the gun to challenge and beat Ariel Muchirahondo (Swim Rotorua – 55.81) in the silver position and Orlando Hardie (Hamilton Aquatics – 56.72) in the bronze. After a performance such as this race on the opening night, it’s worth watching these swimmers progress throughout the championships.


Mila Tongalea (United) was consistent and commanding in the 50m freestyle. The 14-year-old won her national title as the fastest swimmer across the age groups, producing 26.15 in the heats and 26.16 in the final to win her age title. Her straight arm freestyle stroke left a striking image as she powered down the lap, taking more than half a second off her previous best to be just outside the qualifying time for the 2025 World Aquatics Junior Swimming Championships.


The 16 years boys final produced a finish that had us searching for a slow-motion replay, with Luke Manderson (Vikings – 23.56) edging out Rui Hou (Roskill – 23.76) and Bruce Shen (Phoenix Aquatics – 23.77). The 15 years final in the previous race caused a rare sight on the podium, with visitor Yaron Nodanche (New Caledonia – 24.32) timing his lunge to the wall to be the fastest overall. Teammates Donald Tian (Coast – 24.39) and Liam Curling (Coast – 24.39) couldn’t be split as the tied for the national title, meaning three swimmers were on the top step of the podium, with Harry Reekie (Jasi – 24.46) marginally behind for bronze.


14-year-olds Alanna Rawson (St Peter’s – 1:03.29) and Tandia Fisher (1:04.33) pushed each other along to the second and third fastest overall times in the 100m butterfly, with local Phoebe Nettle (Trojans – 1:05.97) rounding out the age podium. Ariella Riley (Hamilton Aquatics – 1:03.13) was commanding in the 16 years final to claim the fastest time overall in the event.


Paige Conley (Whanganui – 9:22.17) held off the fast-finishing Hope Wang (Phoenix Aquatics – 9:24.47) in the 800m freestyle fastest timed final, with both taking out their 15 years and 13 years national title respectively.


Leo English (Swim Rotorua – 16:18.11) took another big chunk of time off his personal best as he dominated the 1500m freestyle fastest timed final. After having read the athlete oath earlier in the evening, English continued his fine form from the 2025 NZ Secondary School Open Water Swimming Championships in his hometown of Rotorua from a couple of weeks ago to win the 15 years title.


During his post-race interview, English reiterated his delight in that swim and paid kudos to the plan.

“Shoutout to my coach (Aidan Withington-Edwards) for the race plan. We broke it down into five 300m blocks and raced them all differently. It helps me to go through and have a smooth plan. I was trying to hold 1:05mins pace going through. I’m pretty stoked with that.”

The relays elevated the atmosphere to all new levels to round out the first day of the championships. In the girl’s events, North Shore (4:29.66) comfortably beat Wharenui (4:37.58) and United (4:39.13) in the 13 – 14 years age group, whilst Phoenix Aquatics (4:32.49) held off the fast-finishing Hamilton Aquatics (4:33.17) team and Parnell (4:35.08) in the 16 years and under. For the boys, Parnell (4:10.11) were super impressive in the 13 – 14 years to win ahead of Coast (4:15.00) and United (4:16.41), whilst Phoenix Aquatics (3:59.29) came from behind in the freestyle leg to beat North Shore (4:00.50) and United (4:04.76) to the wall.


Congratulations to all the swimmers who won medals, made finals and achieved personal bests across the opening day in Hawke’s Bay. We look forward to the action on day two, with the heats coverage starting from 8.25am and finals coverage from 4.50pm.


Day Two Overview - Monday 14 April

Heats livestream coverage from 8.25am

Finals livestream coverage from 4.50pm


  • 400m individual medley

  • 100m freestyle

  • 200m backstroke

  • 50m breaststroke

  • 4 x 50m freestyle relay


You can stay up-to-date across the championships across our social and digital channels of Facebook, Instagram, our website and via the livestream brought to you by Whakaata Maori. There are limited tickets still available for some sessions if you'd like to have the best seat in the house and watch from poolside. Please find the useful links to some of these digital platforms below:











Team Selection Opportunities

In addition to aspiring for the national age title, some swimmers will be setting their eyes on achieving qualifying times for New Zealand teams selected for upcoming international competition later in the year. The championships offer opportunities for swimmers to qualify for are:


  • 2025 Tri Series (Ballarat, Australia, from 7 - 12 July)

  • 2025 World Aquatics Junior Swimming Championships (Romania from 19 - 24 August)

  • 2025 World Para Swimming Championships (Singapore from 21 - 27 September)





Day Three - Tuesday 15 April

Heats livestream coverage from 8.25am

Finals livestream coverage from 4.50pm

  • 400m freestyle

  • 200m breaststroke

  • 100m backstroke

  • 50m butterfly

  • 4 x 50m medley relay


Day Four - Wednesday 16 April

Heats livestream coverage from 8.25am

Finals livestream coverage from 4.50pm

  • 200m butterfly

  • 100m breaststroke

  • 200m freestyle

  • 4 x 100m freestyle relay


Day Five - Thursday 17 April

Heats livestream coverage from 8.25am

Finals livestream coverage from 4.50pm

  • 200m individual medley

  • 50m backstroke

  • 1500m freestyle (girls)

  • 800m freestyle (boys

  • 4 x 50m freestyle relay (mixed)

  • 4 x 50m medley relay (mixed)

 
 
 

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