Ruri breaks records, lifts nine medals

Northland had a successful Auckland Junior Swimming Championships, at West Wave Aquatic Centre in Henderson.

Eight Northland swimmers (aged 12 and under) hauled in 23 medals and broke four Northland age group records at the weekend - which was one of the best Northland returns for many years.

All the Northland medals were claimed by swimmers representing two clubs - Whangarei Swimming Club and Northwave, who each had four swimmers bring home medals. Callum Prime, Ellie Eastwood, Samantha Bailey and Ariel Kelman scored medals for Whangarei Swimming Club, while Northwave's medallists were Freyah Ruri, Madeline Gordon, Ciara Smith and Mia Gordon.

The outstanding Northland swimmer was 12-year-old Ruri, who won two gold medals, four silvers and three bronzes. Her wins came in the 50m freestyle and the 100m backstroke, while her silvers came in the 100m, 200m and 400m freestyle and the 50m butterfly. She scored her bronzes in the 100m butterfly, the 200m individual medley and the 200m backstroke. She also broke Northland age group records in the 50m and the 100m freestyle events.

Ariel won four silver medals in the girls 9-years and under section - in the 50m, 100m and the 200m freestyle and the 200 IM.

Prime and Mia Gordon both won three medals each with Prime winning all his in the 12-years boys backstroke events - silver in the 200m and bronze in the 50 and 100m, while Gordon won hers in the girls nine-years and under breaststroke events - gold in the 50m (breaking the Northland age group record) and silver in the 100m and 200m events.

Eastwood won a silver medal in the girls 11-years 200m breaststroke, at the same time breaking her sister Maddy's Northland age group record.

Madeline Gordon also won a silver medal, in the girls 11-years 100m butterfly. Bailey won a bronze in the girls 10-years 50m fly, while Smith also brought home a bronze, in the girls 10-years 100m breaststroke.

Not only did the Northland swimmers compete against most of the best swimmers from across New Zealand, many of the age group divisions also had stiff competition from swimmers from New Caledonia and Tahiti. In addition only two visitors' medals (for swimmers from outside Auckland) were given out in each event.

Many of the Northland swimmers topped off their weekend by qualifying for the NZ Junior Champs in February for the first time, while others added further qualifying swims to their nationals' programme.

The next major carnival for Northland swimmers is the Auckland Age Group Champs from December 9-11.