Swimming: Kiwis claim medals in Australia

New Zealand claimed three medals and set four national records on the second day of the Australian short course swimming championships in Hobart yesterday.

Glenn Snyders, from North Shore's International Training Centre, dominated the final of the 100m breaststroke, leading throughout to win by nearly a second in 58.88 seconds, just outside his national record set at last year's New Zealand championships.

His clubmate Corney Swanepoel finished second to Australia's Adam Pine, an Olympic gold medallist and world short course champion, in the final of the 100m butterfly.

Swanepoel raced home in 50.42sec, half a second inside his previous New Zealand record set at the 2008 world short course championships.

North Shore's Daniel Bell clocked 51.41sec to take the bronze medal in the 100m backstroke.

Hayley Palmer from North Shore qualified sixth for the final of the 100m freestyle, but set two New Zealand records in the process.

Palmer slashed nearly seven tenths of a second off her own national record during the heats of the 100m freestyle, clocking 53.69sec, then reduced her time again in the semifinals, clocking 53.57sec.

The other New Zealand record went to Emily Thomas, also of North Shore, in the 100m backstroke.

Thomas, who broke the national record in her semifinal of the 100m backstroke to 58.33sec yesterday, lowered it again in the final. She was a fingertip away from going under the 58 second barrier, clocking 58.02sec to finish fourth.

The championships continue until Wednesday.

- NZPA