Gisborne swimmer claims honours in Victorian swimming championships

Gisborne’s Joshua Taylor-Martin grabbed the sole New Zealand victory in key swim meets across the Tasman on Monday.

The 17-year-old from Enterprise club took out the boys 17-18 years 200m freestyle title at the Victorian Age Championships in Melbourne.

Eighty-six New Zealand swimmers from 33 clubs are competing in Australia this week at the Queensland Championships and the Victorian Age championships in Melbourne.

Taylor-Martin won in 1:52.33, which was only 63/100ths of a second outside the 1993 record set by triple Olympic medallist Danyon Loader.

There were four other medals secured with the Waikato pair of Katlyn Steedman and Ben Littlejohn each winning bronze medals in Melbourne. Steedman (Ace) was third in the 16 years 400m medley in 5:20.48 and Littlejohn (St Paul’s) was third in the 14 years 100m freestyle in 56.15.

In Brisbane Bianca Donnelly (Swim Rotorua) was third in the 14 years 200m backstroke in 2:22.73 and Lochlainn O’Connor (Greerton, Tauranga) was third in the 15 years 200m butterfly in 2:07.04.

Gold Coast-based Rio Olympians Matthew Stanley and Emma Robinson were back in action. Stanley was sixth in the final of the 100m freestyle in 50.98 and Robinson was fourth in the 400m freestyle in 4:14.94.

The championships continue until the weekend.

Victorian Age Championships, day 3:

Girls, 17-18 yrs 200m freestyle: Claudia Ashby (Fairfield) 2:11.24, 9th.

15 yrs 400m freestyle: Kaitlyn Sosa (Fairfield) 4:34.29, 6th.

14 yrs 100m freestyle: Peyton Tofaeono (Fairfield) 59.77, 5th.

13 yrs 200m backstroke: Jessica Folomu (Howick Pakuranga) 2:32.65, 9th.

16 yrs 400m medley: Katlyn Steedman (Ace) 5:20.48, 3rd; Isobel Avis (Parnell) 5:23.34, 5th.

Boys, 17-18 yrs 200m freestyle: Josh Taylor-Martin (Enterprise) 1:52.33, 1st.

14 yrs 100m freestyle: Ben Littlejohn (St Pauls) 56.15, 3rd.

16 yrs 400m medley: David Boles (Swim Rotorua) 4:51.85, 7th; Danyon Hardie (Ace) 4:52.43, 8th.

13 yrs & under 800m freestyle: Ryan Oliver (Howick Pakuranga) 9:43.99, 8th.

Queensland Championships, day 2.

Female, Open 100m backstroke: Maggie Franks (Napier Aquahawks) 1:06.69, 10th.

Open 400m freestyle: Emma Robinson (Capital) 4:14.94, 4th

15 yrs 100m freestyle: Chelsea Edwards (SwimZone Racing) 57.91, 6th

Open 100m breaststroke: Bronagh Ryan (Porirua City) 1:11.77, 8th.

16 yrs 400m freestyle: Mya Rasmussen (Kiwi West) 4:24.11, 4th.

14 yrs 200m backstroke: Bianca Donelley (Swim Rotorua) 2:22.73, 3rd.

17-18 yrs 100m breaststroke: Ruby Matthews (Otumoetai) 1:16.32, 9th.

16 yrs 100m breaststroke: Shannon Schimanski (Wanganui) 1:14.86, 5th; Mya Rasmussen (Kiwi West) 1:15.46, 8th.

Male, Open 400m freestyle: Matthew Hyde (Matamata) 3:58.04, 6th.

15 yrs 100m freestyle: Lochlainn O’Connor (Greerton) 54.72, 9th.

15 yrs 200m butterfly: Lochlainn O’Connor (Greerton) 2:07.04, 3rd.

Open 100m freestyle: Matthew Stanley (Matamata) 50.98, 6th.

16 yrs 400m freestyle: Paddy Baylis (Swim Rotorua) 4:21.37, 10th.

16 yrs 100m breaststroke: Zarhn Collins (Stratford) 1:08.58, 8th

CAPTION: Josh Taylor-Martin. Credit BW Media.