Helena Gasson Among New Zealand’s Winners in Dominant Night 4 at Oceania Champs

Helena Gasson during Session Ten of the 2015 New Zealand Short Course Championships, Sir Owen G. Glenn National Aquatic Centre, Auckland, New Zealand, 15 August 2015. Photo: Simon Watts/www.bwmedia.co.nz

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

On day four of the 2016 Oceania Championships, one meet record fell in prelims, and New Zealand took home gold in seven of the night’s ten finals.

New Zealand’s Julian Weir, Bayley Main, Yeonsu Lee, and Annabelle Paterson won the mixed 400 freestyle relay in 3:36.62 to open day four finals.

Their teammate Monique King ran away with the 800 freestyle in 8:53.54. Australia’s Alessandra Colombini posted a 9:00.97 for second and Hawaii’s Nohea Lileikis was third in 9:03.00.

New Zealand teammates continued the country’s winning run as Wilrich Coetzee and Jonathan Rutter topped the men’s 200 IM podium with times of 2:05.51 and 2:05.58. New Caledonia’s Thibaut Mary finished third in 2:10.40.

Helena Gasson, also of New Zealand, picked up gold in the women’s 200 IM with her 2:16.95. Australia’s Bec Cross and Hadley Lyndsay touched in 2:18.94 and 2:19.94 to complete the podium.

New Zealand’s winning trend continued as Daniel Hunter stopped the clock in 22.49 in the men’s splash and dash. His prelims time of 22.48 was a new meet record. Cameron Jones and Jake Kersten of Australia rounded out that podium with times of 22.82 and 22.91.

The women’s 50 freestyle was a younger heat, with 16 year old Gabrielle Fa’amausili touching in 25.60, ahead of 15 and 17 year old Australians Natasha Ramsden (25.96) and Lyndsay (26.25).

The tables finally turned in the men’s 200 breaststroke when Australian Zac Stubblety-Cook (2:16.69) grabbed gold. His teammate Nathan Zhu and Jonathan Rutter of New Zealand tied for second in 2:17.13.

Cross won the women’s 200 breaststroke in 2:34.83. Ellie Eastwood and Millie Macdonald, both of New Zealand, finished in 2:36.10 and 2:37.13.

The Australian squad of Zac Incerti, Zhu, Jones and Kersten took men’s 400 medley relay gold in 3:42.67. For the women, that title went to New Zealand’s Fa’amausili, Bronagh Ryan, Gasson, and Carina Doyle in 4:10.88.

Full results here: 2016 Oceania Championships: Day 4 – Results

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