Swimming: Teenager makes waves at national champs

Auckland's Orinoco Faamausili-Banse posted the fastest time in the 50m freestyle heats. Photo / Kenny Rodger

Auckland's Orinoco Faamausili-Banse was the fastest in the splash and dash on the second morning of heats at the New Zealand swimming championships in Christchurch today.

The 18-year-old Beijing Olympic relay swimmer topped qualifiers in the heats of the 50m freestyle and will seek to retain his national title tonight as well as grab a spot in the team as an individual for the world championships in Rome in July.

Faamausili-Banse clocked a time of 22.69 seconds, 4/10ths of a second outside the qualifying mark for the world championships.

Former titleholder Mark Herring withdrew because of a back injury, leaving Faamausili-Banse facing the stiffest competition from fellow Aucklanders Cameron Gibson and William Benson.

Michael Jack, also of Auckland, threw down the challenge to top qualifiers in the 400m freestyle in a time of three minutes 57.21 seconds while Wellington's Samantha Lucie-Smith, 16, was fastest in the women.

Top qualifiers in the 200m breaststroke were Southland's Natalie Wiegersma and Dunedin's Matthew Glassford ahead of world championship qualifier Glenn Snyder.

- NZPA