New Zealand Age Group Bay of Plenty representatives, from left, Talitha McEwen, Lucy Bartlett, Molly Shivnan, Tarqin Magner, Thomas Wilkinson. Photo / Supplied
Five Bay of Plenty swimmers have proven they are among the best in the country, representing New Zealand at the Australian State Teams Swimming Championships in Canberra earlier this month.
Proudly wearing the silver fern as part of the New Zealand Age Group team Mount Maunganui Swim Club's Lucy Bartlett
and Molly Shivnan and Evolution Aquatics Tauranga's Talitha McEwen, Tarquin Magner and Thomas Wilkinson. Every year a New Zealand Age Group team is selected to compete against the best young swimmers in Australia at championships and this year, the Kiwi team finished fourth.
Lucy Bartlett had an impressive meet, beating the best Australia could throw at her in the 400m freestyle, while also setting a new Bay of Plenty age group and open record time of 4:15.92. The young athlete then backed that up with a silver in the 200m freestyle in a time of 2:03.13, as well as a fourth place in the 800m freestyle, setting another Bay of Plenty record of 8:54.70.
Lucy wasn't the only swimmer breaking records while competing in Australia.
Tarquin Magner, who won two bronze medals in the 50m freestyle (23.40) and 100m backstroke (56.13), set two Bay of Plenty records with those times. He also broke Bay records in the 50m and 200m backstroke as well as the 100m freestyle in the lead off leg of the relay with a time of 51.38.
