Ashby Breaks 9-Year-Old Kiwi Record In 100 IM At NZL SCM Championships

2018 NEW ZEALAND SHORT COURSE CHAMPIONSHIPS

• Tuesday, October 2nd – Saturday, October 6th
• Sir Owen G. Glenn National Aquatic Centre
• SCM
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Bradlee Ashby continued his impressive string of performances on night 3 of the New Zealand Short Course Championships in Auckland, breaking a nine-year-old national record in the men’s 100 IM.

After claiming four individual titles over the opening two days, including a new national record in the 200 IM, the 22-year-old took out Daniel Bell‘s 2009 mark in the 100 IM in a time of 53.06, eclipsing the previous standard of 53.49.

“I was talking to Daniel Bell earlier about the record and I really wanted to beat it, and it feels really good,” Ashby said in his post-race interview. Bell was on hand to present the medals for the event and was happy to see the record go. “It’s great records are being broken from years ago, it shows that we are moving forward again,” says Bell.

Ashby’s North Shore teammate Wilrich Coetzee (54.02) took silver, and Jeremy Tasker of North Canterbury won bronze in 55.78. Ashby was under the FINA ‘A’ standard of 53.57, and Coetzee got under the ‘B’ cut of 55.44 (which gets him consideration for the SC World Championships).

In the women’s 100 IM, Helena Gasson, who took a break from competing after the Commonwealth Games, won handily in a time of 1:00.61, just off her best time and national record of 1:00.45. She also got under the ‘A’ standard of 1:01.21.

“I’m really surprised with that time and to get close to my PB, I’ve done no taper at all for this meet so I’m super happy,” said Gasson.

Daniel Hunter won the men’s 50 free in a time of 22.31, edging 17-year-old Tyson Henry (22.79), while Rebecca Moynihan (25.30) got past Paige Flynn (25.46) in the women’s event.

George Schroder won the men’s 200 breast in 2:09.73, getting inside the FINA ‘B’ cut, and Matt Hyde followed up his 800 free win on the opening night with another title in the 400 free in a quick 3:49.52.