CMK Stratford Flyers had a team of 8 swimmers qualify and attend the New Zealand National Springs Championship on Auckland's North Shore at the new AUT Millennium purpose built pool from the August 11 to 15.
The competition runs age group finals in the morning for medals and rankings and then grouped age group finals at night. The team swum tremendously well on the back of three weeks training out of the Hawera pool to gain one national record, five Taranaki records, five individual medals with another 3 relay team medals, places in the finals and many personal best times. Three swimmers moved into the top 5 in New Zealand for their ages which is an excellent step forward for these up and coming champions.
Joshua Gilbert broke the 14 year old boys New Zealand short course record for the 200 breast stroke and now holds 3 New Zealand records over various strokes and distances. Having just turned 14 this was an exciting outcome of a well swum race. Also a Taranaki Record. New NZ record time is now 2.20.67, old NZ record was Erik Kahr at 2.20.92, Taranaki Record was Elliot Lundon-Moore's at 2.23.78.
Joshua's other Taranaki records for the 14-15 year old age group came in the 100 Breaststroke, new time 1.05.89, old time 1.06.55 (Elliot Lundon-Moore). In the 200 IM Joshua broke the Taranaki Record in the morning finals and then swum faster at night to break it again, new time 2.09.89 (old time 2.14.34 was Chris Johnson's.)
Claudia Taylor broke two Taranaki Records. The first one in 50m Freestyle, an exciting race were she was required to 'swim off' for a finals spot were her and another swimmer raced, the result of this swim off was exactly the same time for both girls of 27.59 (Taranaki Record). They were then given 2 mins recovery time and required to swim again. This time Claudia pulled ahead and won the swim off. Old Taranaki Record 28.03 Jenna Barrett's. Her second Taranaki record came in the 100 Free where she bettered her old record of 1.01.12 to go 1.00.84 on the last day.