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The start of something extraordinary

Global university honour for New Zealand swimmer

Leading New Zealand swimmer Lauren Boyle has enjoyed a successful weekend in and out of the pool.

Boyle has been awarded one of three global scholarships from the International University Sports Foundation (FISU) following last year’s summer World University Games.

She returns to Auckland today after winning three titles at the Victorian open swimming championships in Melbourne.

Three scholarships are awarded after each World University Games as a legacy of the 2003 Universiade, based on both sporting and academic performance.

Boyle, who completed her Bachelor of Science (Business Administration) at the University of California Berkeley last year, won a record five medals at the summer Universiade last year including two gold medals, two silver and a bronze.

She is the first swimmer from the Oceania region to receive one of the FISU scholarships.

Boyle enjoyed a busy and profitable weekend with three victories in the Victorian open championships.

Boyle, a member of the Swimming New Zealand high performance squad, won the 400m freestyle, 800m freestyle and 1500m freestyle along with a third placing in the finals of the 200m over the three day meet.

The 25 year old, coached by Mark Regan, had strong performances to win the 400m in 4:12:23, the 800m in 8:32.53 and the 1500m in 16:35.07. Boyle also clocked 2:01.20 for her third placing in the 200m freestyle.

Regan said he was pleased with the performances. All three swims were within reach of national records in her first competitive hit-out given Boyle is still in heavy training and all swims were over a 48 hour period.

Fellow North Shore teammates Penny Marshall and Chloe Francis also competed at the Victorian meet. Marshall was second in the 200m backstroke in 2:14.58, sixth in the 400m freestyle in 4:21.09 and eighth in the 200m freestyle in 2:02.98.

Francis was ninth in the 400m individual medley in 4:59.01, eighth in the 400m freestyle in 4:24.32, ninth in the 200m medley in 2:22.18 and 16th in the 200m freestyle in 2:07.98.