The Wanganui swim team were in fine form at the Wellington Summer Championships at the weekend, setting eight new Wanganui records and taking top three placings in 16 events.
Fifteen-year-old Sophie Couper in particular had a golden weekend with a clean sweep of the three backstroke events, winning all in personal best times.
Coach Jane Lowe said Couper had worked solidly on her backstroke technique over the past eight months to improve her speed and her hard work paid off with a 32.55 in the 50m event; 1:08.73 in the 100m and 2:27.63 in the 200m.
Shannon Schimanski (12) will head to the national junior competition in mid- February buoyed by her results. In the 50m breaststroke, which was a sharp 38.14, Schimanski broke Bianca Vettise's record to finish second by a touch to Wellington's Macy Burns. Schimanski also placed second in the 200m breaststroke with a time of 3:03.22. In the 100m she clocked 1:23.87 and was third in the 50m backstroke in 34.50.
Lowe said Laura O'Keeffe (14) continued to improve her freestyle times across all distances, setting four new Wanganui records and placing third in the 800m (9:50.89) and also in the 200m (2:13.76). O'Keeffe also set a new 400m time of 4:45.61 and in the 50m broke another Vettise record with her time of 29.42, placing fourth in both events.
