Ingram Sets Second New Zealand Record

New Zealand swimmer Melissa Ingram has continued her record breaking efforts on the second day of heats at the Queensland State Championships in Brisbane today.

The North Shore swimmer broke the New Zealand record in finishing second fastest in the heats of the women’s 400m freestyle at the Chandler Centre.

Ingram’s time of 4:11.57 was half a second inside the old mark held by Helen Norfolk, while her time was also 3/10ths under the mark set for qualification for next year’s Commonwealth Games.

Swimmers can only qualify for the Commonwealth Games in finals of the official trials in April at Waitakere City.

Yesterday Ingram broke the national record in the 200m freestyle and went under the times for New Delhi in this event and the 100m backstroke.

Eight New Zealanders are through to finals later tonight with William Benson third fastest in the heats of the 50m freestyle in 23.09 where he qualified with North Shore clubmate Matt Thomas, Hayley Palmer was second fastest in the same event in 25.58, while Andrew McMillan was through to the final in the 400m freestyle – both also from North Shore.

Also through is Glenn Snyders (International Training Centre) who was fourth fastest in the 100m breaststroke, Daniel Bell (North Shore) was third fastest in the men’s 200m individual medley and Southland’s Natalie Wiegersma was second fastest to Olympic gold medallist Emily Seebolm in heats of the women’s medley.

The meet continues until Wednesday.