Swimming: Golden girl steals the show

Whangarei's Samantha Bailey stole the show with Northland's only gold medal at the New Zealand Junior Swimming Championships in Auckland.

Bailey, 11, won gold in the girls 100m butterfly and was a close fourth in the 50m butterfly.

Prior to the weekend's event, Bailey has qualified as second fastest in the country and swam a personal best to come out on top. Her time of 1.13.93 bettered her Northland long course record which she previously set in December last year.

Other outstanding performances came from Northwave's Mia Gordon and Ellie Eastwood, who were the only other Northlanders to bring home national medals. Both Gordon, 10, and Eastwood, 12, put the heat on the winners in their respective breaststroke events, with Gordon bringing home silver medals in the 100m and 200m.

Meanwhile, Eastwood's bronze in the 200m event was her seventh at the New Zealand Juniors over the last few years.

Eastwood was unlucky to not be notching up her 10th medal after being pipped by a fingertip in the 50m and 100m breaststroke where she finished fourth. Gordon finished sixth in the 10-year-old girls 50m breaststroke.

Jordan Carswell was the next cab off the rank as he placed fifth in the boys 10 years 200m backstroke.

Another three Northlanders gained the fantastic achievement of more than one national top 10 placing in their age groups with Taitimu Murray, 10, from Nga Papahu in Kaitaia recording four top ten finishes. Murray's best finish was seventh in the 50m breaststroke.

Bay of Island's Logan Gaualofa, 10, recorded three top 10 finishes with a seventh in the 100m freestyle, ninth in the 200m freestyle and 10th in the 50m breaststroke. Northwave's Ciara Smith, 12, came home with two top 10 finishes.

Nalani Karena-Waenga, 11, from Nga Papahu completed Northland's top 10 swimmers with a seventh in the 100m backstroke.

The girls' 12-years-and-under medley relay team of Bryna McCondach (backstroke), Eastwood (breaststroke), Bailey (butterfly) and Olivia Lengyel (freestyle) performed best of all the Northland teams placing 10th in New Zealand.

The other 20 Northlanders who competed also recorded personal best times with some qualifying again for next year's nationals.

Northwave was the top Northland club at the championships, recording 107 points to place 23rd out of 95 clubs across the country, while Whangarei was 42nd.

Northland results:

Bay of Islands Swimming Club:

Khayshia Beckmann, female, 12; 50 fly, 38.03 (65th); 50 free, 32.07, (49th); 200 free regional relay 'A' team, 2:07.57, (12th); 200 medley regional relay 'B' team, 2:24.66, (12th); Jeremy Elliott, male, 11; 100 fly, 1:27.66, (13th); 200, back, 2:54.30, (12th); 100 free, 1:13.79, (32th); 200 free, 2:33.27, (13th); 50 fly, 36.22, (11th); 100 back, 1:27.13, (35th); 50 back, 38.56, (22th); 400 Free, 5:19.86, (30th); IM Finals, 3:02.44, (20th); 50 Free, 33.00, (31st); 200 Free Regional Relay 'B' Team, 2:13.53, (17th); 200 Medley Regional Relay 'B' Team, 2:33.21, (16th); Logan Gaualofa, male, 10; 50 Breast, 44.58, (10th); 100 Fly, 1:34.04, (11th); 100 Free, 1:12.78, (7th); 200 Free, 2:41.32, (9th); 50 Fly, 39.41, (21st); 200 IM, 3:07.65, (13th); 50 Free, 34.54, (21st); 100 Breast, 1:43.51, (21st); 200 Free Regional Relay 'B' Team, 2:13.53, (17th); 200 Medley Regional Relay 'B' Team, 2:33.21, (16th); Bryna McCondach, female, 12; 200 Back, 2:52.54, (39th); 50 Fly, 37.70, (63th); 100 Back, 1:20.05, (37th); 50 Back, 38.15, (44th); 200 Free Regional Relay 'B' Team, 2:10.58, (14th); 200 Medley Regional Relay 'A' Team, 2:23.83, (10th); Ruby Murray, female, 11; 50 Fly, 37.50, (36th).

Bream Bay Swimming Club:

Jordan Carswell, male, 10; 200 Back, 2:58.59, (5th); 100 Free, 1:17.79, (29th); 50 Fly, 40.56, (24th); 100 Back, 1:25.58, (11th); 50 Back, 40.20, (17th); 200 IM, 3:18.53, (29th); 50 Free, 35.93, 34.93, (32th); Paul Linton, male, 12; 100 Back, 1:18.19, (21st); 50 Back, 36.65, (27th); 200 Free Regional Relay 'B' Team, 2:13.53, (17th); 200 Medley Regional Relay 'A' Team, 2:23.47, (11th); Elle Swanson, female, 12; 50 Free, 32.13, (51st); 200 Free Regional Relay 'A' Team, 2:07.57, (12th); 200 Medley Regional Relay 'B' Team, 2:24.66, (12th).

Dargaville Swimming Club:

Braedyn Hutchinson-Walters, male, 10; 100 Free, 1:18.57, (34th); 50 Free, 35.97, (42th); Aarai Makoare, female, 11; 50 Free, 32.72, (30th).

Kaitaia Swimming Club:

Ebony Margison, female, 12; 50 Back, 37.32, (30th).

Manaia Surf Swim Team:

Catlin Ahlers, female, 11; 50 Fly, 36.50, (24th); Matariki Moetara, female, 11; 50 Breast, 43.24, (15th); 100 Breast, 1:35.13, (20th).

Nga Papahu Swim Club:

Kadin Bullen, male, 12; 100 Fly, 1:17.98, (15th); 100 Free, 1:05.82, (18th); 50 Fly, 34.04, (24th); 100 Back, 1:20.19, (29th); 50 Back, 35.34, (16th); 50 Free, 29.94, (12th); 200 Free Regional Relay 'A' Team, 2:08.38, (13th); 200 Medley Regional Relay 'A' Team, 2:23.47, (11th); Henare Cherrington, male, 11; 100 Back, 1:22.63, (17th); 50 Back, 38.25, (19th); 50 Free, 33.47, (36th); 200 Free Regional Relay 'B' Team, 2:13.53, (17th); 200 Medley Regional Relay 'B' Team, 2:33.21, (16th); Denique Jones, female, 11; 50 Back, 41.37, (58th); Nalani Karena-Waenga, female, 11; 100 Fly, 1:26.86, (16th); 200 Back, 2:53.81, (17th); 50 Fly, 37.12, (30th); 100 Back, 1:19.28, (7th); 50 Back, 37.15, (17th); 200 IM Finals, 3:02.47, (30th); 50 Free, 33.90, (54th); 200 Free Regional Relay 'B' Team, 2:10.58, (14th); 200 Medley Regional Relay 'B' Team, 2:24.66, (12th); Harry Larkin, male, 12; 100 Free, 1:10.52, (42nd); 50 Free, 31.91, (38th); 200 Free Regional Relay 'A' Team, 2:08.38, (13th); 200 Medley Regional Relay 'B' Team, 2:33.21, (16th); Tai Murray, male, 10; 50 Breast, 42.99, (7th); 100 Free, 1:15.80, (22nd); 200 Free, 2:42.41, (10th); 200 Breast, 3:23.97, (9th); 50 Free, 34.91, (30th); 100 Breast, 1:34.94, (8th).

Northwave Swim Club:

Ellie Eastwood, female, 12; 50 Breast, 37.95, (4th); 100 Free, 1:08.75, (31st); 200 Breast, 2:58.29, (3rd); 100 Breast, 1:22.84, (4th); 200 Free Regional Relay 'A' Team, 2:07.57, (12th); 200 Medley Regional Relay 'A' Team, 2:23.83, (10th); Seth Faoagali, male, 12; 50 Breast, 40.43, (17th); 50 Fly, 34.33, (28th); 200 Breast, 3:12.54, (19th); 50 Back, 37.60, (33rd); 50 Free, 32.77, (48th); 100 Breast, 1:29.83, (21st); 200 Free Regional Relay 'A' Team, 2:08.38, (13th); 200 Medley Regional Relay 'A' Team, 2:23.47, (11th); Mia Gordon, female, 10; 50 Breast, 42.23, (6th); 200 Breast, 3:09.39, (2nd); 100 Breast, 1:30.03, (2nd); Annabell Simpson, female, 12; 200 Back, 2:45.65, (17th); 100 Free, 1:10.81, (49th); 200 Free, 2:31.12, (37th); 100 Back, 1:17.04, (17th); 400 Free, 5:16.19, (20th); 200 Free Regional Relay 'B' Team 2:10.58, (14th); Ciara Smith, female, 12; 50 Breast, 40.76, (17th); 200 Breast, 3:04.00, (9th); 100 Breast, 1:26.93, (8th); 200 Medley Regional Relay 'B' Team, 2:24.66, (12th).

Whangarei Swimming Club:

Samantha Bailey, female, 11; 100 Fly, 1:13.93, (1st); 100 Free, 1:11.43, (23rd); 50 Fly, 33.55, (4th); 200 Free Regional Relay 'B' Team, 2:10.58, (14th); 200 Medley Regional Relay 'A' Team, 2:23.83, (10th); Hayley Donovan, female, 12; 200 Back, 2:47.27, (22nd); 100 Back, 1:18.23, (23rd); 50 Back, 38.05, (42nd); 200 Medley Regional Relay 'B' Team, 2:24.66, (12th); Jerry Hanrahan, male, 12; 50 Fly, 36.16, (42nd); 50 Free, 32.84, (49th); 200 Free Regional Relay 'A' Team, 2:08.38, (13th); 200 Medley Regional Relay 'A' Team, 2:23.47, (11th); Ariel Kelman, female, 11; 200 Free, 2:38.18, (23rd); 200 IM Finals, 3:05.55, (41st); 100 Breast, 1:34.33, (17th); Olivia Lengyel, female, 12; 50 Breast, 41.50, (21st); 100 Free, 1:09.48, (41st); 200 Breast, 3:14.41, (28th); 50 Back, 37.59, (33th); 50 Free, 31.82, (40th); 100 Breast, 1:29.47, (15th); 200 Free Regional Relay 'A' Team, 2:07.57, (12th); 200 Medley Regional Relay 'A' Team, 2:23.83, (10th).