Swimming: Lee swims to NZ record

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Teenager Sam Lee provided the highlight for the New Zealand surf lifesaving team on the second day at the German Cup in Warendorf, Germany overnight.

The 19-year-old Lyall Bay club member just missed a world record on her way to gold in the 100m rescue medley at the European pool-based competition, clocking 1min 12.62secs. The current world record stands at 1:12.60, set last year by Italy's Chiara Pidello, who could only finish third in 1:14.70 behind Australian Christina Ruiz's 1:14.57.

Lee's time smashed the current New Zealand record of 1:14.37, set by Georgina Toomey in 2006.

Titahi Bay's Steve Kent completed a full set of medals at the championship, picking up silver in the 100m rescue medley, after winning the 200m swim with obstacles yesterday. World record holder Italian Federico Pinotti turned the tables on Kent after finishing second yesterday with a 1:00.91 swim.

Kent's time of 1:01.58 still beat his old New Zealand record by more than a second, however, with Australian Dev Lahey third in 1:04.73.

Kent picked up another bronze medal, this time in the 100m manikin carry, with his 50.58sec time putting him behind the 48.93 time of Stefano Costamagna (Italy) and German Christian Ertel's 50.40.

New Zealand's relay teams couldn't add to the medal tally in the 4x50m medley, with both men's and women's teams finishing fifth.

Most of the major nations are using the German Cup to prepare for next year's world championships in Australia.

Results:

100m rescue medley:

Men: Federico Pinotti (Italy) 1:00.91 1, Steve Kent (NZ) 1:01.58 2, Dev Lahey (Australia) 1:04.73 3. Also: Glenn Anderson (NZ) 1:07.17 8, Chris Dawson (NZ) 1:10.16 23, Andy McMillan (NZ) Disqualified (DQ).

Women: Sam Lee (NZ) 1:12.62 1, Christina Ruiz (Australia) 1:14.57 2, Chiara Pidello (Italy) 1:14.70 3. Also: Ayla Dunlop-Barrett (NZ) 1:18.64 11, Dannielle O'Connor (NZ) 1:20.08 14, Maddie Boon (NZ) 1:27.27 32.

100m manikin carry:

Men: Stefano Costamagna (Italy) 48.93 1, Christian Ertel (Germany) 50.40 2, Steve Kent (NZ) 50.58 3. Also: Glenn Anderson (NZ) 55.01 27, Chris Dawson (NZ) 56.43 37, Andy McMillan (NZ) DQ.

Women: Aline Hundt (Germany) 58.08 1, Guilia Levrero (Italy) 59.45 2, Anneloes Peulen (Netherlands) 59.83 3. Also: Sam Lee (NZ) 1:02.16 11, Ayla Dunlop-Barrett (NZ) 1:03.17 16, Maddie Boon (NZ) 1:06.19 28, Dannielle O'Connor (NZ) 1:06.69 32.

200m medley relay:

Men: Italy 1:33.16 1, Germany 1:34.38 2, Australia 1:34.50 3. Also: New Zealand (Dawson, Kent, McMillian, Anderson) 1:36.54 5.

Women: Australia 1:45.46 1, Netherlands 1:46.01 2, Germany 1:46.28 3. Also: New Zealand (Dunlop-Barrett, Lee, Boon, O'Connor) 1:48.01 5.

-APNZ