Buckland Beach's Mulan Chan See, 12, has broken two New Zealand records at the AIMS Games. Photo / George Novak
Buckland Beach's Mulan Chan See, 12, has broken two New Zealand records at the AIMS Games. Photo / George Novak
Records have been broken in the swimming pool at this year's AIMS Games in Tauranga.
More than 30 records have been beaten by intermediate-aged athletes by the end of the two-day swimming meet at Baywave Aquatic Centre as part of the six-day tournament.
AIMS Games swimming meet manager Freda Delaneysaid 13 records were broken on the first night, including two New Zealand records.
A further 18 records were beaten the following night.
The two New Zealand records were broken by Buckland Beach swimmer Mulan Chan See.
The 12-year-old finished the 50m breaststroke in 33.86 seconds and the 100m breaststroke in 1min 14.60sec.
Delaney said there was a lot of pressure on swimmers at this age and the AIMS Games was their chance to pit themselves against the best in their age groups.
"There is no other meet that brings this age group together to compete against each other," she said.
"This meet is the be-all and end-all for these children to compete against each other in the same circumstances. They are all here on equal playing grounds."
A highlight of the tournament was that the children were swimming for their schools and not for their clubs, Delaney said.
"That puts a different emphasis on it all," she said. "There is more mana for their schools. They want to achieve for their school."
Jodiesha Kirkpatrick, 13, from Gisborne has broken a 50m breaststroke AIMS record. Photo / George Novak
"The competition is so high everybody is pushing themselves so hard. Even if they haven't broken records they are getting personal bests," she said.
"The atmosphere is so electric in that pool. It is certainly an event that everyone has on their calendar."
Semple said the AIMS Games gave swimmers that chance to compete as a team in what was usually an individual sport.
"They are not just swimming for themselves, they are swimming for their peers," she said.
Leo Arrowsmith, 12, from Mission Heights broke two AIMS Games records. Photo / George Novak
AIMS records
Breastroke: Boys 10-11 200m 2:47.51 Joseph Shin - Takapuna Boys 12 50m 33.49 Leo Arrowsmith - Mission Heights Boys 12 100m 1:13.19 Leo Arrowsmith - Mission Heights Girls 10-11 25m 24.69 Erin Knox - Maidstone Girls 12 50m 33.86 Mulan Chan See - Buckland Beach Girls 13 50m 34.81 Jodiesha Kirkpatrick - Gisborne Girls 12 100m 1:14.60 Mulan Chan See - Buckland Beach Girls 13 100m 1:16.88 Jodiesha Kirkpatrick - Gisborne
Individual medley: Girls 13 100m 1:07.18 Alexandra Campion - St Kents Girls 12 200m 2:27.73 Hanna Abdou - Cobham Girls 13 200m 2:25.72 Millie Middleton - Northcross Boys 12 200m 2:24.40 Leo Arrowsmith - Mission Heights
Butterfly: Girls 13 100m 1:05.75 Kate Wheeler - Pukekohe Girls 13 50m 29.56 Kate Wheeler - Pukekohe Boys 10-11 50m 30.23 Kemp Williams - Fairfield Boys 10-11 100m 1:05.75 Kemp Williams - Fairfield
Backstroke: Girls 12 200m 2:22.41 Hanna Abdou - Cobham Boys 12 200m 2:21.40 Matthew Zheng - Murrays Bay Boys 12 100m 1:05.90 Matthew Zheng - Murrays Bay
Freestyle: Boys 10-11 100m 57.25 Kemp Williams - Fairfield Boys 12 100m 58.09 Dylan Kowalewski - Stratford Boys 10-11 200m 2:07.03 Kemp Williams - Fairfield Boys 12 200m 2:07.98 Dylan Kowalewski - Stratford Boys 10-11 50m 26.78 Kemp Williams - Fairfield
