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Ashby best of Kiwi swimmers in junior world open water

Waikato’s Claudia Ashby, sister of Rio Olympian Bradlee, was the best of the New Zealand swimmers at the FINA Junior World Open Water championships in the Netherlands.

Claudia (Fairfield club) was 22nd in the girls’ 18-19 years 10km event in 2:15.38, won by Great Britain’s Alice Dearing in 2:04.25.

Gisborne’s Matthew Scott (Enterprise) was 28th in the 18-19 years boys’ race over 10kms in 2:05.41, won by Hungary’s Kristof Rasovszky in a blistering 1:53.01.

Nelson’s Talya Harwood (Tasman club) was also 28th in the junior 16-17 years race over 7.5kms in 1:41.25, while Auckland’s Jackson Dawson (Waterhole) was disqualified in the boys event.

The four New Zealand swimmers then joined to finish 18th in the 4 x 1.25km open water relay in 1:00.04, which was four minutes behind winners Germany.


The championships were staged in Hoorn which is an historic harbour city 35kms north of Amsterdam on the Ijsselmeer, the world’s biggest artificial lake.

Photo credit: Matthew Scott