Boyle earns second medal in world record race

Lauren Boyle had to dig deep to earn her second medal at the Pan Pacific Swimming Championships on the Gold Coast tonight.

The 26 year old had floated through her silver medal in the 800m freestyle on the first day but had to fight her way to a hard-earned bronze medal in the 400m freestyle.

After an aggressive start to her 800m success, tonight Boyle had to push hard over the final 150m to grab the bronze as American Katie Ledecky zoomed to a world record, the first for the new outdoor facility at Southport.

Boyle becomes just the sixth New Zealand swimmer to become a multiple medallist at the Pan Pacific Championships, with her two medals equalling that of swim stars of the past, Anthony Mosse, Anna Simcic, Trent Bray and Paul Kingsman. A medal in the 1500m freestyle tomorrow will elevate her to second only behind the four medals won by the great Danyon Loader.

Counties Manukau teenager Corey Main was the other Kiwi in an individual A final, finishing seventh in the 200m backstroke A final in 1:59.63, outside his best but a promising finish in what has been a big month in his international debut at the Commonwealth Games and Pan Pacific Championships.

The night again belonged to Boyle who found herself back in the back in fourth in 3:04.46 but she fought courageously with a one minute flat final 100m, second only to winner Ledecky, to push up to third.

“I wanted to go out fast but I didn’t do that so I had to have a really strong back end to make up for that,” Boyle said.

“I could see the Canadian at the other side of the pool that I knew I had to touch-out if I wanted to make the top three.”
Ledecky again set the bar with a brilliant solo 3:58.37 to break the world record of 3:59.15 by Italy’s Federica Pellegrini.

”Ledecky is an extremely good swimmer and it’s an honour to swim with her. It’s awesome to get another podium finish.

“It was not as effortless as the 800. For me it’s the third day of the meet and I am getting a little tired. I know that’s something I always need to work on - to be able to back up performances day after day.

“Obviously the girls I swim against do the same events so we are all in the same boat in that respect.”

Boyle completes her programme with the 1500m freestyle on the final day of pool competition tomorrow, and she has a simple game plan.

“It’s a straight final so I will rest in the morning and then give it everything I have as my final event of the Pan Pacs.”
Main snuck into the 200m backstroke A Final in last spot but was able to finish seventh in race that was totally to his satisfaction.

“It is always a challenge when you get to race the big names. I wanted to have a good back-end because at the Commonwealths I went out hard and died a little,” Main said. “I tried to go out a little more reserved and come home stronger.

“It’s been a big step-up backing up from the Commonwealth Games and then the Pan Pacs. It’s been a big month.

“I wasn’t particularly happy with my results here in Pan Pacs after a really good campaign in Glasgow. I am going to step up my training when I go back to Florida. I am keen to get in to it.

“This has been a fantastic learning experience and I have my sights on Rio in 2016 and the Commonwealths back here after that.”

The quartet of Samantha Lucie-Smith, Samantha Lee, Laura Quilter and Emma Robinson were sixth in the 4x100m freestyle relay in 3:47.51.

In B Finals tonight, Lucie-Smith was fourth and Robinson fifth in the 400m freestyle; Matthew Stanley was third, Ewan Jackson fourth in a personal best and Dylan Dunlop-Barrett seventh in the 400m freestyle and Lee was seventh in the 100m butterfly.

Tomorrow’s final day in the pool features Boyle and Robinson in the 1500m freestyle, Mitchell Donaldson in the 200m individual medley, Quilter in the 50m freestyle, Glenn Snyders in the 200m breaststroke and the men’s 4x100m medley relay.

The action then moves to open water competition with Kane Radford and Charlotte Webby competing, although today organisers have moved the competition from the Southport Marina to a fresh water race at Mermaid Lakes.
New Zealand Finals Results:

Women’s 400m Freestyle A Final: Katie Ledecky (USA) 3:58.37, 1 (World Record); Cierra Rungge (USA) 4:04.55, 2; Lauren Boyle (NZL) 4:05.33, 3.

B Final: Leah Smith (USA) 4:06.91, 1; Jessica Ashwood (AUS) 4:10.14, 2; Chihiro Igarashi (JPN) 4:13.72, 3. Also: Samantha Lucie-Smith 4:15.19, 4; Emma Robinson (NZL) 4:15.92, 5.
Men’s 400m Freestyle A Final: Taehwan Park (KOR) 3:43.15, 1; Kosuke Hagino (JPN) 3:44.56, 2; Connor Jaeger (USA) 3:45.31, 3.

B Final: Jordan Harrison (AUS) 3:47.45, 1; Matt McLean (USA) 3:47.70, 2; Matthew Stanley (NZL) 3:50.75, 3. Also: Ewan Jackson (NZL) 3:52.32, 4; Dylan Dunlop-Barrett (NZL) 3:53.96, 7.

Women 100m Butterfly A Final: Alicia Coutts (AUS) 57.64, 1; Ying Lu (CHN) 57.76, 2; Kendyl Stewart (USA) 57.82.
B Final: Felicia Lee (USA) 58.37, 1; Madeline Groves (AUS) 58.88, 2; Natsumi Hoshi (JPN) 59.20, 3. Also: Samantha Lee (NZL) 1:00.44, 7.

Men 200m Backstroke A final: Tyler Clary (USA) 1:54.91, 1; Ryosuke Irie (JPN) 1:55.14, 2; Mitchell Larkin (AUS) 1:55.27, 3. Also: Corey Main (NZL) 1:59.63, 7.

Women 4x100m Freestyle Relay: Australia 3:32.46, 1; USA 3:34.23, 2; Japan 3:39.06, 3. Also: New Zealand 3:47.51 (Samantha Lucie-Smith56.45, Laura Quilter 55.90, Samantha Lee 57.15, Emma Robinson 58.01), 6.