Winning farewells for Bay swimmers
It's fair to suggest Covid-19 took its toll on the national swimming scene last year.
The global pandemic forced many youngsters to give up the sport after becoming frustrated with the inability to access pools to train and lockdowns preventing them from attending national meets. But for the Hawke's Bay trio of 12-year-olds, Kate Hurley, Lola Nicholls and Breeze van Veldhuizen it was a case of "when the going gets tough the tough get going" according to Hurley's mum and long-time Learn to Swim coach Fiona Hurley.
When the trio couldn't access pools for training sessions they trained in the ocean. Dry ground trainings were conducted via zoom meetings so the fun element was maintained.
This work paid off when the trio dominated their age group for the third consecutive and their final year at the three-day 2021 Aquaknights Junior Festival which ended in Hamilton on Sunday.
Nicholls, van Veldhuizen and Hurley (pictured above left to right) took out all bar one event including three trifecta placings in the 200 and 100m individual medley events and the 200m freestyle. The trio, who again heaped kudos on their Napier Aquahawks head coach Phil Melhuish for their success, recorded personal bests in all of their events and set three new Hawke's Bay Poverty Bay records.
Hurley set two in the 100 and 200m breastroke (see times below) and fellow Napier Girls' High School Year 9 student Nicholls one in the 50m fly. Hurley's 100m breaststroke time was 0.25s off the New Zealand Age Group record.
With three of the four national zones completed, the South Island zone is unlikely to be staged because of current Covid-19 alert levels, Hurley has four national titles and Eskdale School Year 8 student van Veldhuizen one.
Hurley's national titles were claimed in the 50, 100 and 200m breaststroke events and the 200m freestyle and van Veldhuizen in the 200m backstroke.
Providing the alert levels allow the Natonal Age Group Championships to be staged in April in Wellington Hurley and van Veldhuizen will be competing. Providing the alert levels allow the Port of Napier Ocean Swim to go ahead on Saturday all three girls will be in action.
Podium placings recorded by Hawke's Bay swimmers in Hamilton were:
Addy Wairama (NAQ) – 10 and under:
• 1st 200 Freestyle (2.25.22) – HBPB Record
• 1st 100 Butterfly (1.20.74)
• 1st 200 Breaststroke (2.37.75)
• 1st 100 Individual Medley (1.16.70)
• 1st 50 Backstroke (34.24)
• 1st 50 Butterfly (34.64)
• 1st 100 Backstroke (1.12.38)
Mille Skidmore (NAQ) – 10 and under
• 1st 200 Breaststroke (3.06.57) – HBPB Record
• 1st 200 Individual Medley (2.43.53) – HBPB Record
• 1st 100 Freestyle (1.07.31)
• 1st 50 Freestyle (30.06)
Kate Hurley (NAQ) – 12 years
• 1st 100 Breaststroke (1.14.90) – HBPB Record
• 1st 200 Breaststroke (2.42.47) – HBPB Record
• 1st 100 Individual Medley (1.09.02)
• 1st 200 Freestyle (2.11.15)
• 1st 50 Breaststroke (34.56)
• 1st 100 Freestyle (1.01.52)
• 1st 200 Individual Medley (2.29.11)
• 3rd 50 Freestyle (29.07)
Lola Nicholls (NAQ) – 12 years
• 1st 50 Butterfly (29.61) – HBPB Record
• 1st 100 Butterfly (1.07.25)
• 1st 50 Freestyle (28.40)
• 2nd 100 Individual Medley (1.11.10)
• 2nd 200 Freestyle (2.14.15)
• 2nd 100 Freestyle (1.02.18)
• 3rd 200 Individual Medley (2.32.85)
Breeze van Veldhuizen (NAQ) – 12 years
• 1st 200 Backstroke (2.23.19)
• 1st 100 Backstroke (1.07.95)
• 2nd 50 Backstroke (32.41)
• 2nd 200 Breaststroke (2.57.43)
• 2nd 200 Individual Medley (2.32.28)
• 3rd 100 Breaststroke (1.23.24)
• 3rd 100 Individual Medley (1.11.15)
Harriet Morunga (ENT) – 12 years
• 1st 50 Backstroke (32.15)
• 2nd 200 Backstroke (2.32.59)
• 2nd 50 Freestyle (28.93)
• 3rd 50 Butterfly (31.73)
• 3rd 100 Backstroke (1.10.24)
Francesca Vial (GDL) – 10 and under
• 1st 50 Breaststroke (41.53)
• 2nd 100 Breaststroke (1.30.57)
Braden Turei (SUN) – 10 and under
• 2nd 100 Breaststroke (1.38.88)
• 2nd 50 Breaststroke (45.40)
• 2nd 200 Breaststroke (3.26.01)
Morgan Marie Tamatea (ENT) – 11 years
• 1st 50 Butterfly (34.44)
• 1st 50 Free Kick (43.33)
• 3rd 100 Breaststroke (1.33.82)
Scarlett Botes (NAQ) – 11 years
• 2nd 50 Breaststroke (41.74)
• 2nd 50 Butterfly (35.19)
• 2nd 50 Freestyle (31.52)
• 3rd 100 Individual Medley (1.21.16)
• 3rd 50 Backstroke (36.61)
Charlotte McLaren (TRO) – 10 and under
• 3rd 100 Butterfly (1.26.91)
• 3rd 200 Backstroke (2.54.08)
• 3rd 200 Individual Medley (3.02.67)
• 3rd 100 Backstroke (1.21.9)
Paige Franklin (CHB) – 12 years
• 3rd 50 Breaststroke (39.15)
• 3rd 200 Breaststroke (3.00.21)
Sam Skidmore (NAQ) – 11 years
• 2nd 200 Backstroke (2.49.00)
• 3rd 200 Backstroke (2.49.00)
Thomas Mill (TRO) -10 and under
• 3rd 100 Freestyle (1.15.79)
• 3rd 200 Breaststroke (3.33.19)
Caleb Stuttle (SUN) – 11 years
• 3rd 200 Backstroke (2.49.67)
Brooke Spears (GDL) – 11 years
• 3rd 50 Butterfly (35.63)
Jake Hutton (TRO) – 11 years
• 3rd 200 Breaststroke (3.19.19)
Taylor Newman (ENT) – 11 years
• 2nd 100 Backstroke (1.19.83)
Club Relays
• NAQ – 1st 12 and under 4 x 50 Freestyle
Lola, Kate, Millie & Breeze were the winning combo.
