Gasson Hangs Up the Goggles in Style
Helena Gasson (Coast Swim Club)
Day Six Wrap – 2024 World Aquatics Swimming Championships (25m) - Budapest, Hungary
Helena Gasson (Coast Swim Club) has signed off on her international career representing New Zealand in fantastic form on the final day of the 2024 World Aquatics Swimming Championships (25m) in Budapest. She set a massive personal best and New Zealand Record on the backstroke lead-off to help set up the team with a New Zealand Record in the women's 4 x 100m medley. With the one last swim, Gasson achieved her third and fourth New Zealand Records of the championships to hang up the goggles in style.
The women’s 4 x 100m medley relay was the standout for our Kiwis on the final day of racing in Budapest. Gasson showed off her short course prowess one final time as she led off the team in the backstroke leg. The Rio Olympian executed her trademark good start to give the team the lead at the first transition after she pulled away over the final 25m against the Neutral Athletes (3:51.81). Gasson (57.04 split) smashed her New Zealand Record in the 100m backstroke set earlier on day one of the championships, going 0.39 seconds faster than her best-ever time in the final race of her career. Brearna Crawford (Waitakere) dove in next for the breaststroke leg, with the Indiana University senior touching second at halfway (1:07.13 split). Hazel Ouwehand (59.27 split), who raced in the semi-final in the 100m butterfly on day four, returned to the pool for her final swim of the championships, where she maintained the second position to hand over to youngster Zoe Pedersen (Coast). Pedersen continued her impressive week with a fast freestyle split (53.58) to anchor the team home in second place. The team (3:57.02) broke the New Zealand Record set in Melbourne two years ago by nearly four seconds to finish 12th overall. It was a fitting way for Gasson to round out her career, producing her best in her last race to break two more New Zealand Records.
Gasson was thrilled with the team performance in the relay.
“I am incredibly proud to have ended my career with two NZ records and on a massive high. After a long week of racing, the girls gave everything that they had left. I’m really proud of the whole team and couldn’t have asked for a better ending.”
Congratulations to Gasson, coach Michael Weston and her support team on her career and for finishing on a high in Budapest, with four New Zealand Records, three semi-finals and four top 16 results this week. Congratulations also to Brearna Crawford, Hazel Ouwehand, and Zoe Pedersen, and their respective coaches and support team.
Emma Godwin (Heretaunga Sundevils) had been involved in a relay earlier in the week, but got the opportunity to swim her preferred women’s 200m backstroke as her sole individual event of the championships. The experienced swimmer was in lane two of the fourth heat and got away well to be second at the 25m and third at the 50m turn. The Hawke’s Bay local settled into her pace through the middle laps before finishing seventh in her heat (2:06.96). Godwin finished 20th overall in a time that was the fourth best of her career. Congratulations to Godwin, coach Willy Benson and her support team for her performances in Budapest.
The men’s 4 x 100m medley relay team raced from lane six of the first heat. Cooper Morley (North Shore) got the team off to a great start, where he surfaced close to the 15m line off the walls and swam the second fastest backstroke time of his career (51.35 split), just behind the time of his individual swim earlier in the week. Sam Brown (Coast) swam the breaststroke leg and performed admirably in a discipline that isn’t his preferred, maintaining the second position at halfway (1:00.43 split). Ben Littlejohn (St Paul’s) was the third swimmer in the water, where he swam a fast butterfly leg (51.92 split) to handover to Hugo Wrathall (Jasi) in second place. Wrathall (48.98 split) maintained the second position in the freestyle leg and brought home a strong finish for the team (3:32.68). The team ended up in 22nd overall to conclude the morning session. Congratulations to each of the swimmers, their coaches and support team.
Jesse Welsh (Club 37) had to wait until the last day of competition to dive into racing at the Duna Arena. Swimming out of lane five in the second heat of the women’s 200m freestyle, she demonstrated intent from the start to turn second at the first two walls. By the halfway mark, a line of four women went stroke for stroke, before she gave everything she had left to touch fifth in the heat (2:01.61). She placed 29th overall at her first World Aquatics Swimming Championships (25m), notching the fifth best time of her career. Congratulations to Welsh, her coach Mitch Nairn and her support team.
Sam Brown completed his busy campaign schedule in the men’s 200m backstroke, his fourth individual event of the championships. The 21-year-old swam in the fourth heat from lane eight and got away to a good start. Brown looked to find his early speed over the first 50m before he moved into eighth for the middle part of the race. He turned for home and finished ninth in his heat to claim 30th overall (1:57.04). The performance was the fourth fastest of his career, with the result marking an end to his individual programme in Budapest. Congratulations to Brown, coach Michael Weston and his support team for representing New Zealand on his first senior team this week.
Ben Littlejohn swam his second individual event of the championships in the men’s 200m freestyle. At his second consecutive World Short Course, the Harvard University senior got off to a good start from the blocks of lane two in the third heat. A line of synchronised swimmers formed over the opening 75m before the group started to make their move. The 22-year-old held consistent lap splits to move into fourth with 75m left to swim. A strong finish saw him touch fifth in the heat (1:47.01). His time was the seventh fastest of his career, with Littlejohn placing 45th in the world. Congratulations to Littlejohn, his NZ-based coach Graham Smith and his team at Harvard for his individual and relay performances across the week.
That concludes the six days of action from Budapest. Our team had some impressive performances across the week with four semi-finals, seven New Zealand open records, and three New Zealand age group records.
Swimmer Results
Sam Brown - Club: Coast Swim Club
Coach: Michael Weston
100m Individual Medley (Result: 54.50 - 22nd)
200m Individual Medley (Result: 1:59.55 - 34th)
400m Individual Medley (Result: 4:12.33 - 23rd)
200m Backstroke (Result: 1:57.04 - 30th)
Men's 4 x 100m Medley Relay (Result: 3:32.68 - 22nd)
Brearna Crawford - Club: Waitakere
Coach: Paul Kent
50m Breaststroke (Result: 31.20 - 41st)
100m Breaststroke (Result: 1:07.10 - 34th)
Mixed 4 x 100m Medley Relay (Result: 3:45.00 - 18th in NZR)
Women's 4 x 100m Medley Relay (Result: 3:57.02 - 12th in NZR)
Chris Elson - Club: Vikings
Coach: Todd Mason
50m Butterfly (Result: 23.23 - 38th in PB)
100m Butterfly (Result: 53.16 - 47th)
Helena Gasson - Club: Coast Swim Club
Coach: Michael Weston
50m Butterfly (Result: 25.39 in heat, 25.24 in semi-final - NZR and 11th)
100m Backstroke (Result: 57.43 in heat - NZR, 57.64 in semi-final - 15th)
100m Individual Medley (Result: 59.14 in heat, 58.70 in semi-final - 11th)
Women's 4 x 100m Medley Relay (Result: 3:57.02 - 12th in NZR)
100m Backstroke (Relay Lead Off Result: 57.04 - NZR)
Emma Godwin - Club: Heretaunga Sundevils
Coach: Willy Benson
200m Backstroke (Result: 2:06.96 - 20th)
Mixed 4 x 50m Freestyle Relay (Result: 1:32.74 - 16th)
Larn Hamblyn-Ough - Club: Coast Swium Club
Coach: Michael Weston
800m Freestyle (Result: 8:06.19 - 34th)
1500m Freestyle (Result: 15:20.84 - 22nd in PB)
Jack Hendy - Club: Club 37
Coach: Sander Ganzevles
50m Freestyle (Result: 22.18 - 48th)
Mixed 4 x 50m Freestyle Relay (Result: 1:32.74 - 16th)
Ben Littlejohn - Club: St Paul's
Coach: Graham Smith
200m Freestyle (Result: 1:47.01 - 45th)
400m Freestyle (Result: 3:47.53 - 27th in PB)
Mixed 4 x 100m Medley Relay (Result: 3:45.00 - 18th in NZR)
Men's 4 x 100m Medley Relay (Result: 3:32.68 - 22nd)
Savannah-Eve Martin - Club: Coast Swim Club
Coach: Michael Weston
50m Backstroke (Result: 26.98 - 20th in 18 Years NZR and PB)
Gina McCarthy - Club: Hamilton Aquatics
Training Squad: RPC Waikato
Coach: Mat Woofe
200m Individual Medley (Result: 2:14.14 - 25th)
400m Individual Medley (Result: 4:41.85 - 21st)
Cooper Morley - Club: North Shore
Coach: Graham Hill
50m Backstroke (Result: 23.84 - 21st in PB)
100m Backstroke (Result: 51.14 - 20th in PB)
Mixed 4 x 100m Medley Relay (Result: 3:45.00 - 18th in NZR)
Men's 4 x 100m Medley Relay (Result: 3:32.68 - 22nd)
Hazel Ouwehand - Club: Phoenix Aquatics
Coach: David Lyles
50m Butterfly (Result: 26.04 - 24th)
100m Butterfly (Result: 56.97 in heat - NZR, 56.60 in semi-final - 14th and NZR)
Women's 4 x 100m Medley Relay (Result: 3:57.02 - 12th in NZR)
Zoe Pedersen - Club: Coast Swim Club
Coach: John Gatfield
50m Freestyle (Result: 24.80 - 31st in 17 Years NZR and PB)
100m Freestyle (Result: 53.86 - 31st in 17 Years NZR and PB)
Mixed 4 x 100m Medley Relay (Result: 3:45.00 - 18th in NZR)
Mixed 4 x 50m Freestyle Relay (Result: 1:32.74 - 16th)
Women's 4 x 100m Medley Relay (Result: 3:57.02 - 12th in NZR)
Zyleika Pratt-Smith - Club: Coast Swim Club
Coach: Michael Weston
200m Breaststroke (Result: 2:25.63 - 26th)
Neve Tassicker - Club: Ngā Tai Tūātea a Taraika
Coach: David Lush
200m Butterfly (Result: 2:12.99 - 23rd)
Eve Thomas - Club: Coast Swim Club
Coach: Michael Weston
400m Freestyle (Result: 4:06.27 - 16th)
800m Freestyle (Result: 8:22.27 - 10th in PB)
1500m Freestyle (Result: 15:56.27 - 13th in PB)
Jesse Welsh - Club: Club 37
Coach: Mitch Nairn
200m Freestyle (Result: 2:01.61 - 29th)
Hugo Wrathall - Club: Jasi
Coach: Peter Burgon
100m Freestyle (Result: 49.39 - 55th)
Mixed 4 x 50m Freestyle Relay (Result: 1:32.74 - 16th)
Men's 4 x 100m Medley Relay (Result: 3:32.68 - 22nd)
Remembering John Mace
Mr John Mace has contributed to the sport of swimming since 1975 in a variety of roles. Mr Mace has been Chairman of the Mt Wellington Swim Club and was Team Manager of the Auckland Swim Team and President of the Auckland Region from 1984 to 1990. He was a member of the organising committee and Head of Protocol for the 1990 Commonwealth Games held in Auckland. He served as Vice President and was President of the New Zealand Swimming Federation from 1992 to 1996. He was Chef de Mission for the New Zealand Aquatic Team in Rome in 1994, overseeing swimming, diving, water polo, and synchronised swimming. He represented swimming on the New Zealand Sports Assembly. He was a Trustee of the New Zealand Swimming Trust from 1992 to 2013 and served as Chairman, and as Chairman of the Awards Committee. He played a leading role in restructuring the sport of swimming, leading to the review of Swimming New Zealand in 2012, at which point he was elected as President of Swimming New Zealand and concluded that term in 2015.
Farewell John
2024 Paris Olympic Games Wrap
NZ Swimming Team
Lewis Clareburt, Erika Fairweather, Eve Thomas, Hazel Ouwehand, Cameron Gray, Kane Follows, Taiko Torepe-Ormsby, Caitlin Deans and Laticia-Leigh Transom
NZ Artistic Swimming
Eva Morris and Nina Brown
Diving NZ
Elizabeth Rousel (Lizzie Cui)
The NZ Swimming Trust is proud to have assisted all of these athletes in the past with Scholarship Grants.
Day 1
Erika Fairweather has had the best result for a NZ swimmer in the Olympics since Lauren Boyle in London 2012, finishing 4th in the Women’s 400m Free.
She won her heat (4:02.55) against Summer McIntosh to qualify 3rd fastest for the final.
The event was billed as one of the races to watch in Paris, to kick off the swimming competition, with a field including Erika Fairweather, reigning World champion, World Record holder and reigning Olympic champion, Ariana Titmus (Australia), former World Record holders, Katie Ledecky (USA) and Summer McIntosh (Canada).
In the final, Titmus and McIntosh went out hard, from the start to establish a strong lead. Titmus looked strong as she pulled clear of McIntosh for gold and silver respectively. Fairweather displayed her trademark strong finish to close in in Ledecky, who got her hand to the wall 0.26s in front of Fairweather.
Day 2
Lewis Clareburt produced his best result in an Olympic final, finishing 6th in the Men’s 400 IM and improving on his 7th from Tokyo, 3 years ago.
Day 3
Erika Fairweather in the Women’s 200 Free final achieved her best time on the international stage, in 7th place, just outside her NZ record, improving on her 16th place from Tokyo.
Day 4
Eve Thomas produced her best individual finish in the Women’s 1500m Free at an Olympics, placing 12th in the world, a significant rise up the ranks since 26th place in Tokyo, 3 years ago.
Day 5
Kane Follows took on the Men’s 200m Back, notching his best finish of the games by placing 21st in the world.
Day 6
Highlighted by our Women’s 4 x 200m Free Relay Team (Erika Fairweather, Eve Thomas, Caitlin Dean and Laticia-Leigh Transom), becoming the 1st Kiwi women to make an Olympic relay final, where they finished 8th in the world (7:55.89). In the heats, the team swum the second fastest time ever produced by New Zealand in the relay event (7:54.37).
Taiko Torepe-Ormsby made his Olympic debut in Men’s 50m Free. He got off to a good start and touched the wall in 2nd place, just outside his NZ record. This was the 2nd fastest performance by a NZ swimmer in history.
Day 7 and Day 8
Erika Fairweather, qualified for her 4th final in Paris, in the 800m Free and finished 8th in the final.
2022 FINA World Short Course Championships - Melbourne
Fairweather makes a splash on day one!
Day one saw Erika Fairweather, the NZ Swimming Alumni 2018 Emerging Swimmer of the Year, take home a silver medal after a brilliant swim in the 400m Freestyle.
In the heats, Fairweather smashed the 18 NZ Age Group record taking almost 4-seconds off the previous time and qualified fastest for the final.
In the final, going head-to-head with Australian Lani Pallister, Fairweather was just pushed out at the finish, but still improved upon her heat swim to re-set the 18 NZ Age Group record with 3:56.00.
Congratulations!
Fantastic achievements at the 2022 Paralympic Games from our New Zealand Swimming Alumni recipients, Jesse Reynolds, Nikita Howarth, and Tupou Neiufi. You made us so proud!
Thank you to all our sponsors and supporters. It assists the Swimming Alumni to distribute $55,000 each year to Competitive Swimmers. We look forward to your continued support in our mission to assist athletes to represent New Zealand.
Please continue to help us by offering to be a mentor to swimmers experiencing changes in their pathways or by paying the $50 membership of the Alumni.
https://nzswimmingalumni.org.nz/membership
WHO ARE WE?
The New Zealand Swimming Alumni was established in 1989 to promote the disciplines of the sport of swimming and to assist athletes who have the potential to represent their country. We are proud to have supported many developing athletes with scholarships to assist their journey to achieve their goals.
WHAT WE DO
We raise money throughout each year in a number of ways to support budding athletes achieve their international sporting dreams. Sponsorship and funding for individual athletes is tough in New Zealand so we work to support those who are struggling financially to attend international competitions and fund their training commitments. The Trust expects that many of the grants will support athletes who are building towards the PARIS 2024 Olympics.
Each year we host the Legends Relay with past internationals returning to the pool for some fast and fun racing. We are also lucky to have some amazing sponsors who support us - but we are always on the hunt for more!
Our 30 year longevity has enabled us to also invest trust funds and proceeds from these investments are distributed annually to athletes.
WHO DO WE SUPPORT?
Over the years, the Alumni has supported many developing international athletes and has now introduced an award for the New Zealand Swimming Alumni Emerging Swimmer of the Year.
Contact
➤ Address
NZ Swimming Trust Inc
P O Box 184
Matamata 3440.
☎ CONTACT
David Jack: davidjack@xtra.co.nz
Teresa Stanley: secretary@nzswimmingalumni.org.nz
Charities Commission Registration number : CC28033
MENTORING PROGRAMME
The NZ Swimming Alumni has been working with the Athlete Leadership Group (ALG) to establish a Mentoring Programme for our swimmers.
The Mentoring Programme will be established to assist all swimmers, and their parents, either those at the beginning of their open age group swimming career, toward the end of their swimming career as they transition into the workforce or study, or as they make significant changes in their swimming career. Swimmers nearing the end of their secondary schooling may also find themselves in a position where they need to make difficult decisions to continue swimming.
We have run one workshop to date, and our next goals to the programme will include:
Piloting the programme with approximately 10 mentors and 5 mentees with 1 – 1 mentoring for development/second tier swimmers to help with transitioning, out or within their swimming.
Develop a cache of stories from ex-swimmers (audio or podcasts) to sit on our website.
Mentors – develop a list of advice for mentors
Provide advice available for parents.
Watch this space for our development!!
“Persistence can change failure into extraordinary achievement.”