Tauranga teen wins nine gold medals in New Zealand Ocean Swim Series

Tauranga teenager Talitha McEwan. Photo / Tantrum Photography

Tauranga teen Talitha McEwan went home with nine gold medals in the second-last event of the Banana Boat New Zealand Ocean Swim Series.

The Mount Maunganui College student won the open and age-grade sections of the 2.8km Around Rabbit Island swim, the 1250m Around Leisure Island swim, and the 500m Main Beach Swim in the Generation Homes Mount Swim held on Saturday.

She also won over the three distances in the New Zealand Secondary Schools Aquaknights Open Water Champs, as well as the Global Swim Series.

The Global Swim Series is an event initially held in Mexico that was added to the New Zealand Ocean Swim Series last year.

McEwan joined the Ocean Swim Series' Super Swim Squad as an 8-year-old.

Event director Scott Rice has seen a lot of McEwan's performances as a commentator at national swimming events and said she has huge potential.

"I've watched her grow and develop into a very good swimmer who handles the pressure extremely well and who simply loves to swim, and to win."

McEwan's success on Saturday came in the absence of unbeaten Nelson teen Abbey Smale, who leads the series.

Smale will race in the final event, the Harcourts Cooper & Co Swim the Bridge in two weeks.

That 2km double crossing of Auckland harbour will decide the men's and women's series.

Alex Dunkley won the Mount Swim, finishing almost two minutes ahead of evergreen former Commonwealth Games swimmer Brent Foster.

Rice said Dunkley is another to keep an eye on.

"He's really impressed me and he will only get better as he gets stronger and more experienced."