New Zealand Para Swimmers Set Two National Records at IDM Berlin Open

IDM Berlin Open 2017 pool image

Team New Zealand was off to a fast start at the Berlin stop of the World Para Swimming Series. The 2017 IDM Berlin Open is the final stop of the series and will be taking place from July 6-9.

At the Open, each race is run in mixed classification format. Para swimmers with different classifications compete in the same race with the winner of each race calculated by comparison to the world record. The time that is within the closest percentage of the World Record time in that Para swimmer’s class wins.

The World Para Swimming Series has already seen three World Records fall in Sheffield in April, one Pan-American record in Indianapolis in June and twelve World Records in Berlin.

Five swimmers representing the New Zealand Para Swimming Team kept the momentum going as they set two new national records and one Commonwealth Games minimum qualifying standard while swimming five personal best times.

Rio 2016 Paralympian Jesse Reynolds celebrated his return to international competition by breaking the national record in the Men’s 200m Freestyle S9 in a time of 2:11.53.

16-year-old Cantabrian Para swimmer Celyn Edwards made his international Para swimming debut in Berlin, breaking his 22nd National Record. He posted a time of 1:07.46 in the Men’s 100m Butterfly S8 final. Edwards had come to the meet with a clear goal of meeting the minimum qualifying standard and to be in contention for selection to the Gold Coast Commonwealth Games in April next year. He achieved this in both the heat and final of the Men’s 100m Breaststroke SB8.

Gary Francis, Para Swimming National Development Coach, said, “It was a great start to the final event of the World Para Swimming Series here in Berlin. The team performed really well achieving some important milestones including five personal best times.” He continued, “For Rio 2016 Paralympians Jesse Reynolds, Rebecca Dubber and Tupou Neiufi this was their first time competing on the international stage since the Rio 2016 Paralympic Games and the event has provided an opportunity to benchmark themselves against some of the best in the world.”

Ben Close, Para swimming coach to Edwards, said, “We were thrilled with Celyn’s performance today. Swimming to a Commonwealth Games qualification time, national record and two personal best times is a great result on day one of his international Para swimming debut.”

All five Para swimmers will be in action again tomorrow at the IDM Berlin Open. Scheduled events for Team New Zealand include the 100 freestyle and 50 backstroke.

Paralympics New Zealand contributed to this report. 

Subscribe
Notify of
guest

Welcome to our community. We invite you to join our discussion. Our community guidelines are simple: be respectful and constructive, keep on topic, and support your fellow commenters. Commenting signifies that you agree to our Terms of Use

0 Comments
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments
0
Would love your thoughts, please comment.x
()
x