Zac Reid Posts NZL 800 Free Record To Qualify For His First Olympic Games

2020 AUCKLAND C’SHIPS (NZL)

• Wednesday, December 9th – Sunday, December 13th
• West Wave Aquatic Center, Auckland, NZL
• LCM (50m)
• Olympic Qualifier
• Swimming NZL 2020 Olympic Games Selection Policy
• Psych Sheets
• SwimSwam Meet Preview
• Recap #1/Recap #2/Recap #3
• Results

The 2020 Auckland Championships represent an Olympic qualifying opportunity for Kiwi swimmers and two athletes have taken advantage of the chance for Tokyo 2020.

We reported how 16-year-old Erika Fairweather got it done in the women’s 400m free last night, while today it was Zac Reid‘s turn.

Taking on the men’s 800m freestyle, 20-year-old Reid blasted a big-time personal best of 7:53.50 to not only take the gold in a new national record but to qualify for the 2020 Olympic Games.

Entering this meet, Reid’s lifetime best in the 800m free rested at the 7:57.40 he logged in 2019. However, Reid has been on an upward trajectory this season, already establishing a new short course national record in the event with the 7:38.85 he logged this past October.

Flash forward to tonight and Reid’s 7:53.50 obliterated the previous NZL national standard of 7:56.14 former Wisconsin Badger swimmer Matthew Hutchins established in 2017.

Splits are not available at the time of publishing.

Reid’s outing also comfortably clears the FINA ‘A’ standard of 7:54.31 needed to qualify for the 2020 Olympic Games, postponed to 2021 due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Sensing he was close to the mark, based on his coaches and teammates’ emphatic cheering on from the side of the pool, Reid told me that he really had to ‘dig deep’ on that final 100. The Aquabladz swimmer told me this was ‘the hardest race I have ever done.’

Reid took to social media immediately after the race, writing, “Olympics here we come baby!! Ive been dreaming of this moment since I was a little boy, feels unreal to have put up a qualification time. Huge thanks to everyone who has helped me in my journey so far.”

Reid now ranks 5th in the world this season.