Ziva Bunker was back in swimming action at the recent South Island junior championships held at the Richmond Aquatic Centre in Nelson on April 6 and 7.
Bunker, 11, coached by former Olympian Richard Gheel, competed in eight events over the two-day meet that attracted swim teams throughout the South Island, with Bunker being the only non-South Island competitor.
Owing to the meet being the South Island junior champs, Bunker was ineligible to take any podium spots. However, she didn’t let this affect her performance, achieving eight short-course (25-metre pool) personal best times and setting four Whanganui records along the way.
Bunker took a further 1.3 seconds off her own 100 Individual Medley record and reduced her 100 Backstroke record by .5 of a second. In the 50m backstroke, Bunker broke Georgia Abraham’s 2017 record by .7 of a second, clocking 34.11 and reduced the 2016 200 backstroke record set by Cheyenne Nightingale by .8 of a second lowering the mark to 2.37.81.
Bunker was happy with all her swims at the event and is looking forward to continuing her training with the Whanganui Swim Team under the eye of Gheel.
