Swimming: Gichard stays on course for Rio

Greendale's Bobbi Gichard on her way to a bronze medal at the World Junior Champs yesterday. Photo / BW Media

Hawke's Bay swimmer Bobbi Gichard remains a hot prospect for the Rio Olympics after her bronze medal effort in the 100m backstroke final at the World Junior Championships in Singapore yesterday.

"Bobbi's time is only 17/100ths of a second off the mark she will need to achieve at next year's trials for the Olympics. We've got time on our side to work on that," Gichard's delighted Greendale club coach Noel Hardgrave-Booth said from Singapore yesterday.

Gichard stopped the clock at 1m 00.42s, her third consecutive personal best at the championships and a new national age group record. The time was 0.2 seconds outside the national open record set by former HBPB swimmer Emily Thomas in 2009 before non-fabric swim suits were banned.

"I didn't expect I could get third but after the race I looked up at the scoreboard and I was so stoked with the race and my time," the 15-year-old said.

Swimming in lane seven, Gichard said she was unaware of her position in the race. "I couldn't see anyone from my lane. I'm unsure if that was a good or a bad thing."

Gichard went out in 29.41s and held off the Canadian Danielle Hanus by 2/100ths.

Teammate and defending world 50m backstroke champion, Auckland's Gabrielle Fa'amausili, 15, set the pace to turn second at the 50m mark, but had to be content with seventh.

Fa'amausili, coached by Igor Polianski at the United club, will be encouraged for her 50m backstroke later in the championships after showing outstanding speed in the first 50m. She clocked 1:00.74, a personal best and under the national age record she set in the heats.

"I am happy to get another PB. I feel better swimming that race now, more confident. I am happy with the outcome and really proud of Bobbi as well," Fa'amausili said.

"My focus is to keep getting PBs and to focus on swimming my races and not worry about the opposition."

Australia's Minna Atherton won the final in 59.58, breaking her own world junior record set in the semifinal.