Glenn Snyders Downs Another New Zealand Mark; Mary Fisher Blasts Paralympic World Record

Glenn Snyders during Day One, session one of the State New Zealand Open Swimming Champs, Westwave Aquatics, Henderson, Auckland, New Zealand. Tuesday 7 April 2014. Photo: Simon Watts/www.bwmedia.co.nz/Swimming New Zealand

Photo Courtesy: Simon Watts/www.bwmedia.co.nz/Swimming New Zealand

WELLINGTON, New Zealand, September 3. NORTH Shore swim star Glenn Snyders and Para-Swimmer Mary Fisher were on record-setting form at the New Zealand Short Course Swimming Championships in Wellington today.

Snyders, who set a new national record in the 100m breaststroke yesterday, broke the 50m breaststroke record in this morning’s heats of the championships at the Wellington Regional Aquatic Centre in Kilbirnie.

Meanwhile Fisher, from the local Capital club, set a world record in this morning’s heats of the 400m freestyle in 5:16.98, and went close to a second record in winning the 200m individual medley tonight.

Snyders was pleased with his new mark of 26.58s, after coming just under the old time of 26.61s in setting the fastest time in qualifying in the 50m breaststroke.

“It was good. That was a New Zealand record, so a best time and anytime you do a best time is a good time,” Snyders said.

“It was good to back it up from last night. I was a little bit disappointed with the 100m final last night but that was a different day and a different swim.”

Snyders now heads to Singapore to compete at the Prudential Singapore All Stars meet where the top eight swimmers in the world in each discipline have been invited. He had to forgo the final in order to make his international schedule, racing on Friday and Saturday in Singapore.

That left National High Performance Centre swimmer Jeffrey Arona Tuifana’e (Howick Pakuranga) to pick up the 50m breaststroke title in 28.80s, while Kendall Reidy of Central Hawkes Bay took the title in the women’s event in 32.23s.

Like Snyders last night, Fisher was slightly slower in tonight’s final of the 400m freestyle finishing in 5:20.10, but felt she was performing consistently.

“It was a seven second short course PB for me in the 400m this morning so that was really good. It wasn’t quite as fast this evening but that’s okay, it was still quite consistent and I backed it up which was nice to do,” Fisher said.

She was just off world record time in the Para-Swimming women’s 200m individual medley tonight, winning in 2:51.54, which was just 27/100th of a second off her second world record of the day.

However the Olympic and World champion is targeting three further swims this week where she believes there is potential for further new world records.

In other swims tonight, it was the tightest of battles in the men’s 200m individual medley with Commonwealth Games swimmer Mitchell Donaldson (North Shore) just edging out last night’s 400m individual medley winner Nathan Capp (Greerton) by just 1/100th of a second, winning in 1:57.66.

Matthew Stanley (Matamata), who set a new national record in the 200m freestyle last night, stepped out of his usual choice of stroke to claim honours in the men’s 100m backstroke in a respectable 52.19, followed by Michael Dai (Coast, 54.90) and Corneille Coetzee (North Shore, 54.91).

In the women’s 200m individual medley, Helena Gasson (Fairfield) was home quickest in 2:14.87 while Commonwealth Games representative Laura Quilter (North Shore) picked up the gold in the 100m backstroke in 59.27s over 14 year old Youth Olympic medalists Gabrielle Fa’amausili (Roskill, 59.73) and Bobbi Gichard (Greendale, 1:00.32).

Commonwealth Games representative Emma Robinson (Capital) claimed the 400m freestyle title in 4:11.74.

Jesse Reynolds (Fairfield) picked up the gold in the men’s Para-Swimming 200m individual medley and 100m backstroke while Rebecca Dubber (North Shore) claimed the women’s 100m backstroke title. Hamish McLean won the 50m breaststroke in 53.56s.

The championships continue until Saturday with morning sessions from 9am and finals from 6pm each day.

Day 2 Results:

Men 200m individual medley: Mitchell Donaldson (North Shore) 1:57.66, 1; Nathan Capp (Greerton) 1:57.67, 2; Wilrich Coetzee (North Shore) 2:00.33.

Women 200m individual medley: Helena Gasson (Fairfield) 2:14.87, 1; Yeonsu Lee (North Shore) 2:17.46, 2; Kate Godfrey (Neptune) 2:17.54, 3.

Men 100m backstroke: Matthew Stanley (Matamata) 52.19, 1; Michael Dai (Coast, Auckland) 54.90, 2; Corneille Coeztee (North Shore) 54.91, 3.

Women 100m backstroke: Laura Quilter (North Shore) 59.27, 1; Gabrielle Fa’amausili (Roskill, Auckland) 59.73, 2; Bobbi Gichard (Greendale) 1:00.32, 3.

Men 50m breaststroke: Jeffrey Arona-Tuifana’e (Howick Pakuranga) 28.20, 1; Wilrich Coeztee (North Shore) 28.52, 2; Shaquile Vaotu’ua (Howick Pakuranga) 28.53, 3.

Women 50m breaststroke: Kendall Reidy (Central Hawkes Bay) 32.23, 1; Bronagh Ryan (Porirua) 32.56, 2; Helena Gasson (Fairfield) 32.78, 3.

Women 400m freestyle: Emma Robinson (Capital) 4:11.74, 1; Georgia Marris (United, Auckland) 4:14.38, 2; Monique King (North Shore) 4:16.08, 3.

Para Swimmers:

Men 200m individual medley: Jesse Reynolds (Fairfield) 2:26.53, 1; Christopher Artbuthnott (Wanaka) 2:27.95, 2; Daniel Gaualofa (Bay of Islands) 2:26.41, 3.

Women 200m individual medley: Mary Fisher (Capital) 2:51.54, 1; Olivia Hay (Whakatane), 3:07.95, 2; Sarah Fuhrer (St Peters) 5:32.41, 3.

Men 100m backstroke: Jesse Reynolds (Fairfield) 1:06.54, 1; Daniel Gaualofa (Bay of Islands) 1:09.57, 2; Chris Arbuthnott (Ice Breaker Aquatics, Manawatu) 1:10.39, 3.

Women 100m backstroke: Rebecca Dubber (North Shore) 1:25.84, 1; Tupou Neiufi (Howick Pakuranga) 1:18.57, 2; Nikita Howarth (Te Awamuta) 1:29.42, 3.

Men 50m breaststroke: Hamish McLean (Wanaka) 53.56, 1.

Women 400m freestyle: Mary Fisher (Capital) 5:20.10, 1; Olivia Hay (Whakatane) 6:05.16, 2; Jacquelyn Ruth (QEII, Christchurch) 8:05.11, 3.

The above article is a press release submitted to Swimming World. To reach our audience, contact us at newsmaster@swimmingworldmagazine.com.

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