tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7481330.post526377542659042889..comments2023-10-24T11:05:25.288-04:00Comments on Mark Rauterkus & Running Mates ponder current events: World Record gets cut by 10-secondsMark Rauterkushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17157914569686528007noreply@blogger.comBlogger1125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7481330.post-30873295558690294332007-06-21T06:02:00.000-04:002007-06-21T06:02:00.000-04:0021st June 2007 New Zealand Swimmers on Top of Podi...21st June 2007<BR/><BR/> <BR/><BR/>New Zealand Swimmers on Top of Podium in California<BR/><BR/> <BR/><BR/>New Zealand’s best teenage swimmers made their mark with three victories in the world class Swim Meet of Champions in California this week.<BR/><BR/>Southland’s Natalie Wiegersma, North Shore’s Penny Marshall and the women’s medley relay teams all win championship finals at the famous Mission Viejo meet south of Los Angeles.<BR/><BR/>The national development squad is competing in three major US meets this month, with the New Zealand elite squad also heading to California culminating in the Janet Evans Invitational.<BR/><BR/>Evans was to the fore at Mission Viejo where American Kate Ziegler lowered Evans’ world record for the 1500m freestyle, the oldest world mark still standing.<BR/><BR/>The young Kiwi squad stood up well in the world class meet, qualifying for 13 championship finals including three wins, a second and a third.<BR/><BR/>The 17 year old Wiegersma, the world junior champion, won the 200m individual medley, leading from her favoured backstroke leg to clock 2:17.71, which broke Helen Norfolk’s national age group record.<BR/><BR/>Marshall showed her class to win the 200m backstroke title in 2:18.04, proving too strong as she fought through from fourth place at the 100m mark.<BR/><BR/>Marshall and Wiegersma were part of the women’s 4x100m medley relay combination with Commonwealth Games representative Annabelle Carey (Christchurch) and Joyce Wiegersma (Southland) winning in 3:59.85. Carey showed her experience to push the New Zealanders in the lead in her breaststroke leg and they were never headed.<BR/><BR/>Auckland’s Kurt Bassett, 17 was second in the 200m backstroke with a superb swim in 2:03.64, only 2/10ths of a second from the winner.<BR/><BR/>He combined with John Gatfield, Steven Kent and Kane Radford to finish third in the 400m medley relay in 4:01.81.<BR/><BR/>The team will compete in the South California Age Group Invitational at Irvine starting on Friday ahead of the Santa Clara Invitational next week.<BR/><BR/><BR/>New Zealand finals results, Swim Meet of Champions, Mission Viejo, California:<BR/><BR/> <BR/><BR/>Female:<BR/>100m freestyle: Joyce Wiegersma (Southland) 59.21, 7th<BR/>400m freestyle: Natalie Wiegersma (Southland) 4:25.17, 13th; J Wiegersma 4:26.14, 15th<BR/>800m freestyle: N Wiegersma 8:59.72, 6th; Penny Marshall (North Shore) 9:08.13, 13th; J Wiegersma 9:08.51, 15th<BR/>1500m freestyle: J Wiegersma 17:34.91, 12th<BR/>100m backstroke: Jessie Blundell (North Shore) 1:06.59, 10; Marshall 1:07.08, 15th<BR/>200m backstroke: Marshall 2:18.04, 1st<BR/>100m breaststroke: Annabelle Carey (Aquagym) 1:13.43, 11th<BR/>100m butterfly: N Wiegersma 1:03.27, 3rd<BR/>200m butterfly: N Wiegersma 2:19.91, 11th<BR/>200m medley: N Wiegersma 2:17.71, 1st (NZ Age record)<BR/>4x100m freestyle relay: NZ (N Wiegersma, Marshall, J Wiegersma, Blundell) 3:59.85. 8th<BR/>4x110m medley relay: NZ (Blundell, Carey, N Wiegersma, Marshall) 4:26.14, 1st<BR/><BR/>Male:<BR/>400m freestyle: Kane Radford (Rotorua) 4:03.40, 10th.<BR/>800m freestyle: Radford 8:18.95, 7th<BR/>1500m freestyle: Radford 16:11.91, 9th<BR/>100m backstroke: Kurt Bassett (Laser Mt Eden) 58.44, 7th; John Gatfield (Watties Swim City) 58.53, 8th<BR/>200m backstroke: Bassett 2:03.64, 2nd; Gatfield 2:09.62, 8th<BR/>200m butterfly: Steven Kent (Watties Swim City) 2:08.69, 12th<BR/>200m individual medley: Gatfield 2:10.21, 10th; Bassett 2:12.35, 12th<BR/>400m individual medley: Kent 4:42.11, 15th<BR/>4x100m medley relay: NZ (Bassett, Gatfield, Kent, Radford) 4:01.85, 3rd.<BR/><BR/><BR/>For further information:<BR/>Ian Hepenstall, Sports Media NZ, Tel 0275 613181, E: ianhep@xtra.co.nzAnonymousnoreply@blogger.com