Youth Commonwealth Games

12 September 2011, 9:49AM
Swimming NZ

The New Zealand swimming team produced a golden hue on the final night in the pool at the Youth Commonwealth Games on the Isle of Man today.

They won four gold medals to Matthew Hutchins, Corey Main, Sophia Batchelor and Alex Hancock along with bronze medals to Natasha Lloyd, the women’s medley relay and men’s 4x200m freestyle relay.

It brought their medal tally to 15 for the Games with six gold, three silver and six bronze to place New Zealand second to Australia on the medal table.

Main, 16, from the Howick Pakuranga club, completed a brilliant treble in winning the 100m backstroke to go with gold medals in the 50m and 200m backstroke. Coached by Gary Hollywood, Main was the class of the field, winning in 53.53 to establish a New Zealand Age Group record. It was more than half a second under the previous mark held by Commonwealth Games silver medallist Gareth Kean. It is the second time at the Games that Mains has surpassed a national record previously held by Kean, a finalist at the recent world championships.

Batchelor, 16, from the Aquagym club in Christchurch, saved her best for last when she blitzed the field to win the 100m butterfly, to go with a silver medal in the 50m fly and bronze in the 200m backstroke. Batchelor, coached by Leanne Speechley, went under the 59 second mark for the first time with her winning time of 58.63 establishing a new national open record, to go with the long course open record she holds in the same event.

Hutchins, 16, from the Wharenui club in Christchurch, had set his sights on today’s 400m freestyle after two silver medals in the 200m and 1500m freestyle. Coached by Martin Harris, the Lincoln High School swimmer, who broke his leg in April, produced a superb effort to win in 3:48.92.
 

Hancock, 18, coached at the outstanding Howick Pakuranga club by Gary Hollywood, had won two bronze medals in the closest of battles in the 50m and 100m butterfly. Today he got the better of the opposition in an exciting 200m butterfly final, winning by a mere 1/100th of a second from England champion Matthew Johnson in 1:58.79.

North Canterbury 15 year old Natasha Lloyd, coached by the New Zealand team coach Brigitte Mahan, grabbed a bronze medal in the 200m breaststroke with her time of 2:22.37 setting a national age record.

The outstanding meet was rounded off with bronze medals in the women’s 4x100m medley relay and men’s 4x200m freestyle relay.

Swimming New Zealand team leader Philip Rush said it had been an outstanding three days for the young swimmers.

“It’s been an invaluable experience for them and they have all responded with some excellent performances against some very good age group swimmers,” Rush said. “Most importantly it has given them the opportunity to travel, to soak-up a multi-sport games experience and learn what it takes to be successful in this environment.”

Day 3 finals results:
400m individual medley: Sycerika McMahon (IRE) 4:42.43, 1; Elena Sheridan (ENG) 4:44.27, 2; Emily Jones (SCO) 4:45.68, 3. Also: Kate Godfrey (NZL) 4:52.78, 8.
400m freestyle: Matthew Hutchins (NZL) 3:48.92, 1; Jarrod Poort (AUS) 3:49.30, 2; Leuan Lloyd (WAL) 3:51.28, 3. Also: Michael Mincham (NZL) 3:59.78, 6.
50m backstroke: Adelaide Hart (AUS) 27.67, 1; Phoebe Lenderyou (ENG) 28.14, 2; Charlotte McKenzie (SCO) 28.43, 3. Also: Godfrey (NZL) 30.04, 8.
100m backstroke: Corey Main (NZL) 53.53 1 (NZ Age Record); Robert Gerlach (AUS) 54.05, 2; Grant Halsall (IOM) 54.55, 3.
100m butterfly: Sophia Batchelor (NZL) 58.63, 1 (NZ Record); Rachael Kelly (ENG) 59.70, 2; Vanessa Puhlmann (AUS) 59.77, 3.
200m breaststroke: Kelly Gunnell (SAF) 2:25.22, 1; Molly Renshaw (ENG) 2:25.50, 2; Natasha Lloyd (NZL) 2:27.37, 3 (NZ Age Record).
200m butterfly: Alex Hancock (NZL) 1:58.79, 1; Matthew Johnson (ENG) 1:58.80, 2; Hendrick Alberts (SAF) 1:59.15, 3.
Women 4x100m medley relay: England 4:04.03, 1; Australia 4:04.94, 2; New Zealand (Sophia Batchelor, Kate Godfrey, Natasha Lloyd, Emma Robinson) 4:08.01, 3.
Men 4x200m freestyle relay:  Wales 7:22.16, 1; England 7:23.99, 2; New Zealand (Matthew Hutchins, Alex Hancock, Corey Main, Michael Mincham) 7.25.75, 3.
 

Full details: www.swimmingnz.org.nz

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