Swimming: Golden day for Raravula at champs

Melita Raravula. Photo / File

Swimming star Melita Raravula produced a double delight for Northland on the opening night of the New Zealand Short Course Championships in Wellington.

Raravula, of Northwave swim club, claimed a brace of gold medals on day one by winning the women's 17-18 50m breaststroke and the 17-18 200m butterfly.

The 17-year-old's time of 34.18 in the 50m breaststroke was .24 faster than her heat time, which saw her go into the final on Sunday night ranked second.

Raravula's time means she is the 10th fastest Kiwi across all age groups in 50m breastroke in a 25m pool.

The Pompallier Catholic College student's other gold saw her improve on her sixth ranking going into the final to win by just under a second.

Her time of 2:21.33 was 3.56 seconds faster than her time going into the final as she stunned her competitors.

Bay of Islands' swimmer Daniel Gaualofa also had a successful opening evening as he claimed a hat-trick of silvers in the 100m backstroke, breaststroke, and butterfly.

The next best of the Northland swimmers was Northwave's Callum Prime who finished fifth in the men's 13-14 year old 100m backstroke.

Day One:

Women 17-18 200 Butterfly final: Melita Raravula (17) (Northwave) 2:21.33, 1.

Women 17-18 50 Breaststroke: Melita Raravula (17) (Northwave) 34.18, 1.

Men AWD 100m Backstroke: Daniel Gaualofa (16) (Bay of Islands) 1:10.46, 2.

Men AWD 100m breaststroke: Daniel Gaualofa (16) (Bay of Islands) 1:21.56, 2.

Men AWD 100m butterfly: Daniel Gaualofa (16) 1:13.40, 2.

Men 15-16 100 Breaststroke Michael Larkin (16) (Nga Papahu) 1:13.45, 30.

Men 17-18 100 Breaststroke Poai Niha (17) (Northwave) 1:14.04, 20.

Men 13-14 100 Backstroke Callum Prime (13) (Northwave) 1:02.26, 5; Kieran Swords (14) (Bream Bay) 1:05.90, 16; Joshua Young (14) (Northwave) 1:06.44, 20.

Men 16 Year Olds 100 Backstroke: David Platt (16) (Bream Bay) 1:01.25, 12.

Men 17-18 100 Backstroke: Haydn Jurisich (18) (Bay Of Islands) 1:02.99, 20; David Van der Star (17) (Northwave) 1:03.46, 22.

Girls 13-14 100 Backstroke: Hayley McIntosh (14) (Northwave) 1:10.10, 34.

Men 13-14 200 Freestyle: Heremaia Murray (13) (Nga Papahu) 2:09.23, 31.

Men 17-18 200 Freestyle: David Van der Star (17) (Northwave) 1:59.19, 17.

Girls 13-14 50 Breaststroke: Isabelle Paton (14) (Bream Bay-NL) 37.15, 28; Ellie Eastwood (13) (Northwave) 37.45, (15th in 13 yr olds) 32.

Men 13-14 100 Butterfly: Kieran Swords (14) (Bream Bay) 1:03.89, 11; Joshua Young (14) (Northwave) 1:06.66, 29.

Men 17-18 100 Butterfly: Haydn Jurisich (18) (Bay Of Islands) 1:01.49, 21.

Day Two:

Women 17-18 100 Freestyle: Melita Raravula (17) (Northwave) 59.83, 13.

Men 13-14 400 IM: Joshua Young (14) (Northwave) 5:07.16, 18.

Women 17-18 50 Butterfly: Melita Raravula (17) (Northwave) 28.42, 3.

Men 13-14 50 Freestyle: Kieran Swords (14) (Bream Bay) 25.94, 10; Callum Prime (13) (Northwave) 25.95, 11; Heremaia Murray (13) (Nga Papahu) 26.35, 20.

Men 17-18 50 Freestyle: David Van der Star (17) (Northwave) 24.57, 19; Haydn Jurisich (18) (Bay Of Islands) 25.05, 25; Poai Niha (17) (Northwave) 25.68, 28.

Girls 13-14 200 Breaststroke: Ellie Eastwood (13) (Northwave) 2:51.71, 19.