Competition Wrap - 2024 NZ Secondary School Swimming Championships
The 2024 NZ Secondary School Swimming Championships were held over the weekend with 666 swimmers from 154 schools across the country converging on Auckland for the four days of competition. The atmosphere was electric and incredibly supportive throughout, with the relays particularly igniting the cheering pool side.
There were plenty of highlights across the six sessions of swimming, including multiple New Zealand Age Records being broken, but it was hard to go past the passion present as relays lit up the pool as school pride was on the line. Thank you to each school who formed the 403 relay teams during the championships, demonstrating just how popular the relays are for secondary schools.
We have tried to celebrate some of the key performances from the weekend below, whilst acknowledging there were too many to list them all. Congratulations to every swimmer who participated as there were lots of personal bests achieved.
Random Medley Skins
The Random Medley Skins events were highlights again this year, with double points on offer for schools and some close battles capturing the attention of everyone at the start of the respective session.
The 15&U boys went first, with all four strokes achieved on the first four spins of the wheel. Local Jacob Humphries (Westlake Boys) came up against Mitchell Ellis (Tauranga Boys') in the final, with freestyle the stroke to decide the winner. Humphries was well suited for the final, and blitzed it from the get go to take the crown.
Next up was the 15&U girls, where early favourite Milan Glintmeyer (Whangaparaoa College) was eliminated in the first round of breaststroke. Laura Menzies (Rolleston College) and Jade Lyles performed strongly to progress to the final, seeing Menzies win the battle after showcasing her breaststroke skills throughout.
The 16&O boys kick started session five, with some outstanding racing coming down to the wire between Kevin Zhang (Lynfield College) and Jacob Story (Avondale College). With freestyle spun for the decider, Zhang had the advantage as he dropped an impressive 23.96 as his fifth swim in 10 minutes.
The 16&O girls had the closest battle of the lot, as 2023 Commonwealth Youth Games teammates Amelia Bray (Baradene College) and Danielle Asiata (Macleans College) faced off in the final. With backstroke not particularly favour either swimmer in the final, it went down to the wire with Asiata getting her hand on the wall first with just 0.03 seconds separating the two swimmers who had impressed throughout the weekend.
New Zealand Records
Whilst there were lots of impressive swims across the age groups, we wanted to pay homage to some of the impressive performances that saw swimmers break New Zealand Records.
On night one, Leo English (Rotorua Boys') smashed his own 14 Years NZ Age Record in the 400m Freestyle (3:57.62), taking another two seconds off his previous mark set the previous weekend. In the space of two weekends, he had lowered the record by nearly 2.5 seconds. Asher Smith-Franklin (Te Aho O Te Kura Pounamu - 4:15.29) continued his record-breaking form by slashing more than ten seconds off his S14 NZ Record in the 400m Freestyle in impressive fashion.
Smith-Franklin continued his streak in the second session the following morning. He dropped more than a second from his SM14 NZ Record in the 100m Individual Medley Multi-Class (1:03.05), before following up in his next race, the 100m Backstroke Multi-Class (1:04.86), by breaking his S14 NZ Record by nearly half a second.
Ariel Muchirahondo (John Paul College) had an incredible weekend, highlighted in session three when he broke the 15 Years NZ Age Record in the 200m Butterfly (2:00.74), a record that had stood since 2003 (set by Cameron Burrows). He obliterated the previous mark by more than two seconds as he continued to showcase his versatility across the strokes and his trademark smile afterwards. Monique Wieruszowski (Rangitoto College) also opened up her individual races in the third session, breaking the 17 Years NZ Age Record in the 50m Breaststroke (30.44). Rylee Sayer (Hauraki Plains College) continued her remarkable return to competitive swimming by breaking her SB7 16&U NZ Age Record in the 50m Breaststroke Multi-Class (57.51) by nearly 2.5 seconds. Smith-Franklin continued his form, where he broke two records during the session. He broke his SB14 NZ Record in the 50m Breaststroke Multi-Class (31.74), before breaking his S14 NZ Record in the 100m Freestyle Multi-Class (56.19).
Smith-Franklin returned for session four, where he broke his SB14 NZ Record in the 100m Breaststroke Multi-Class (1:10.55). He continued later that day in a scintillating session five, where he shattered his S14 NZ Record in the 200m Freestyle Multi-Class (1:59.76) to drop under two minutes for the first time. Jacob Humphries had close race with Muchirahondo as both went under the 15 Years NZ Age Record in the 100m Butterfly, with Humphries (55.88) taking the honours and setting his first NZ Age Record. Leo English continued his excellent form, claiming the 14 Years NZ Age Record in the 200m Freestyle (1:52.58) by taking two seconds off the previous mark. Quinn Pike (St Peter's School - Cambridge) lowered her S19 NZ Record in the 200m Freestyle Multi-Class with an impressive swim.
The final session saw Liam Curling (Long Bay College) reset the 14 Years NZ Age Record in the 50m Freestyle with a rapid time (23.55). Ashmit Danney (John Paul College) broke the S4 16&U NZ Age Record in the 50m Freestyle Multi-Class (1:40.46), with Asher Smith-Franklin claiming his eighth NZ Record of the championships in the same race (S14 - 24.85).
For those wishing to re-live some of these performances and the atmosphere at the championships, the livestreams for all sessions are available free and on demand on the Whakaata Maori YouTube channel.
Top School Trophies
The battle for bragging rights and the respective top school trophies was tight and the double points accumulated in the skins did adjust the final order for the Top Boys School, proving how important all points opportunities are across the championships.
Top Co-Ed School
For the fifth consecutive year, Rangitoto College took out this trophy ahead of Kings College and Pinehurst School.
Winner: Rangitoto College
Top Boys School
For the fourth consecutive year and seventh time overall, Westlake Boys took out this trophy thanks to the double points achieved in skins, leap-frogging them ahead of Auckland Grammar with Palmerston North Boys in third.
Top Girls School
For the first time ever, Villa Maria College took out this trophy ahead of Baradene College and St Cuthbert's - Epsom.
Top Para School
For the second consecutive year, Te Aho O Te Kura Pounamu took out this trophy ahead of Selwyn College and Hauraki Plains College.
Top Boys Relay School
Top Girls Relay School
For the third time overall, Rangitoto College took out this trophy ahead of St Cuthbert's College - Epsom and Diocesan School for Girls.
Sponsor Awards
We were grateful to have some of the competition partners offer three awards during the championships.
Caltex - Good Sport Award
Awarded to a coach, manager or swimmer who is a good sport by making a positive impact on those around them.
Winner: Emma Mortiboy (Coach - Palmerston North Boys High School)
Emma received this award after her swimmers nominated her, where they described her as fun, empathetic, encouraging, motivating, inspiring, diligent, passionate, dedicated and caring. The swimmers were very appreciative of their coach’s commitment to supporting their development and enjoyment of swimming at the high school and through their coaching of the local swimming club (Ice Breaker Aquatics) that supports the other schools in the region.
Bayleys - Altogether Better Award
Awarded to a school who is altogether better.
Winner: Central Hawke's Bay College
Central Hawke's Bay College received this award as the school and local swimming club have worked together over the past 18 months since Cyclone Gabriel caused their local pool to close for a period due to water contamination. Both the school and club supported each other in travelling 50km each way for training whilst balancing studies at school.
NZ Carbon Farming - Sustainability Tips & Tricks Award
Awarded to a school who offered and lives out the best sustainability tip.
Winner: Marlborough Girls' College
Marlborough Girls' College received this award as the school and local swimming club share equipment that other swimmers have out-grown. Younger swimmers enjoy having access to pre-loved race togs that no longer fit the older swimmer and new swimmers have fins and other gear from the beginning of their swimming journey.
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