Swimming
I had doubts about him hanging on over the last 100m but he dug really deep, it was a terrific swim.Russell Geange, coach
It was a case of deja vu for Carterton Swimming Club coach Russell Geange when Joe Hammond cracked former Olympian Jon Winter's Wairarapa 100m backstroke record at the national age group swimming championships in Wellington last week.
Hammond, 17, clocked 1min 0.08s in placing fourth in the final of the boys 17-18yrs event, just pipping Winter's time of 1.0.69 in 1991. Making it even more special was that Winter, now coaching in Wellington, was there to cheer him on, and later congratulate him on his performance.
For Geange, who also coached Winter out of the Carterton club when he set his record, Hammond's feat was not a major surprise considering he had won the gold medal in the 200m backstroke earlier in the meet, but at the same time he knew it would take a peak effort for him to pull it off.
"It was on if everything went according to plan but there was never going to be a lot in it," Geange said yesterday.
For Hammond, his record-breaking effort in the 100m backstroke followed from him winning the gold medal in the 200m backstroke in which he led from start to finish. His time of 2.07.09 was a personal best and beat his Wairarapa record.
Coach Geange admitted he had some trepidation over Hammond's chances in the 200m when he went through the first 100m quicker than anticipated.
"I have to say I had doubts about him hanging on over the last 100m but he dug really deep, it was a terrific swim."
Hammond also won a bronze medal in the 400m individual medley in a Wairarapa record time of 4.37.79s and in the 200m breaststroke with a time of 2.28.34.
Geange said comparing Hammond with Winter when he was at the same age was difficult because they were two very different personalities.
"It's probably fair to say Joe puts a bit more into his training and whereas he is quite laid back before a race, Jon was always brimming with confidence, he had tremendous self-belief."
Hammond might have been the only medal winner for Carterton at the national age groups but all members of the small squad played a part in them finishing a very creditable 31st out of 79 clubs in the team competition. Masterton finished in 61st place.
Those Wairarapa swimmers to make individual finals were:
Joe Hammond (Carterton), 17-18yrs: First in 200m backstroke in 2.07.09, third in 400m individual medley in 4.37.79, fourth in 100m backstroke in 1.00.08, third in 200m breaststroke in 2.28.34, sixth in 100m breaststroke in 1.11.29.
Bella Biggs (Carterton) 12-13yrs: fourth in 400m individual medley in 5.25.16, ninth in 50m butterfly in 31.92, fifth in 200m butterfly in 2.38.08, sixth in 200m freestyle in 2.19.33, fifth in 800m freestyle in 10.03.61.
Amy TeMaro (Carterton) 12-13yrs: 10th in 50m breaststroke in 39.11, 10th in 100m breaststroke in 1.27.16, seventh in the 200m breaststroke in 2.59.50.
Ben Ruback (Masterton) 17-18yrs: 10th in 200m butterfly in 2.22.89, eighth in 800m freestyle in 17.50.40.
Taylah Mawson (Carterton) 15yrs: 10th in 400m individual medley in 5.34.05, 20th in 800m freestyle in 10.15.57, seventh in 200m breaststroke in 2.54.70.
Emma Samuel (Masterton) 12-13yrs: Seventh in 100m backstroke in 1.09.64, sixth in 50m freestyle in 29.45.
Jacob Smith (Carterton) 16yrs: eighth in 200m breaststroke in 2.39.96.
Jock Cudmore (Carterton) 15yrs: ninth in 100m butterfly in 1.03.06.