Swimming: Slim pool pickings at Sydney meeting

SYDNEY - New Zealand's up-and-coming swimmers fought bravely but were ultimately outgunned when the transtasman age-group tri-series ended at the Australian Institute of Sport in Canberra.

New Zealand could manage only two titles and finished third overall behind Australia Gold and Australia Green.

Canterbury duo Dylan McNeice (53.60s) and Ben Pickersgill-Brown (53.84s) secured a 1-2 finish in the men's 100m freestyle final to provide the highlight of the competition's final session.

Southland's Richard Adamson and Sam Butler of Gisborne filled the minor placings in the 200m breaststroke final, trailing West Australian Travis Nederpelt who was named male swimmer of the meeting.

Aucklander Kelly Newcombe was third in the 100m backstroke, and the women's 4x50m freestyle relay finished third.

In the morning session, Butler was the only New Zealander able to crack Australia's dominance.

He won the 100m breaststroke in 1m 04.97s, while Adamson (1m 05.68s) held off the challenge of third-placed Australian Green swimmer Travis Hore (1m 06.18s).

Otherwise New Zealand had to be content with filling the minor placings.

Canterbury's Arjun Haszard was second in the 200m butterfly and provincial team-mate McNeice finished runner-up in the 200m freestyle.

McNeice picked up a third in the 200m individual medley and Wellington's Damian Braddock was third in the 100m backstroke.

In the women's competition, Canterbury's Georgina Toomey recorded third placings in the 100m freestyle and butterfly finals.

Newcombe was third in the 200m backstroke and Stephanie Laughton finished third in the 200m breaststroke.

- NZPA