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Otago Daily Times
26-05-2025
- Sport
- Otago Daily Times
Deans ‘absolutely stoked' to come away with all PBs
Caitlin Deans after being crowned the national 1500m freestyle champion at the national championships in Auckland. PHOTOS: SIMON WATTS / BW MEDIA What a week for Caitlin Deans. The smile plastered across her face as she looked up at her time said it all as she wrapped up what had been a phenomenal week in the pool at the national championships in Auckland. The Dunedin Olympian executed her plan to perfection and cruised to the women's 1500m freestyle title in a big personal best and Otago record of 16min 12.18sec. The Neptune swimmer was the only athlete to break the 17min mark. Olympic team-mate Eve Thomas collected silver in 17min 11.55sec and Sophie Hay secured bronze in 17min 20.72sec. It was yet another qualifying time for the world championships in Singapore for Deans — seeded at 16min 17.40sec heading into the race — who went under the time by 12sec. "Absolutely stoked," Deans told commentators. "To come away with all PBs [personal bests] is more than I could have asked for, so I'm really happy." It was a standout week for Deans, who won silver in the freestyle 800m, and bronze in the 400m and 200m, and qualified for the world championships in the 400m, 800m, and 1500m. "This week has taken me by surprise to PB all of those, so that's just given me a lot of confidence about where I'm at and heading into Singapore later on," Deans said. Kiwi swimmer Alfie Weatherston Harvey is flanked by Ethan Stocks (left), of Roskill, and Jack Barton, of North Shore, after winning the men's 17-18 years 1500m freestyle. It has also been a standout week for Kiwi swimmer Alfie Weatherston-Harvey, who wrapped up with a fourth podium finish. He showed his strength across multiples strokes and finished with bronze in the men's 17-18 years 800m freestyle in 8min 34.90sec. Kiwi team-mate Liam Rees shaved more than 2sec off his personal best to claim bronze in the men's 17-18 years 200m IM in 2min 11.75sec. Otago were strong across the board and returned home with 11 medals from a successful championships. Former Dunedin swimmer Erika Fairweather won the women's 200m freestyle in 1min 56.56sec. Olympian Hazel Ouwehand shattered her national record in the 50m butterfly in 25.42sec, shaving 0.45sec off the record.
Otago Daily Times
23-05-2025
- Sport
- Otago Daily Times
Second title for Follows at national championships
Kane Follows. PHOTOS: SIMON WATTS / BW MEDIA Kane Follows pushed hard through the back end and came home strong. The Neptune swimmer won his second national title in as many days, securing the men's 100m backstroke with 55.23sec in Auckland last night. He finished 0.2sec ahead of silver medallist Zac Dell (Club 37) in a tight race, and Jasper Cornish (Coast) claimed bronze in 55.95sec. It was always going to be tough for the Olympian backing up after just missing the world championships qualifying time for the 200m backstroke on Thursday night. But Follows, humble as ever, was still proud of his performance. "Obviously you always want to go faster," Follows told commentators. "I'd say the hardest race is the race after missing a team or missing a time. "To go out there and win it, that's all I really wanted to do tonight." Dunedin swimmer Caitlin Deans has collected two medals at the New Zealand swimming championships in Auckland this week. Fellow Neptune swimmer Caitlin Deans came out firing to win bronze in the women's 400m freestyle in 4min 08.91sec. The Dunedin swimmer had a big battle against Olympic team-mate Eve Thomas (Coast) and they pushed each other all the way, with Thomas snagging silver in 4min 08.05sec. Former Dunedin swimmer Erika Fairweather cruised home in her specialist event to be crowned the national champion yet again in 4min 03.06sec. All three swam under the qualifying time of 4min 10.23sec for the world championships in Singapore later this year. It is the second medal — and second world qualifying mark — for Deans this week, after scoring silver in the women's 800m freestyle on the opening night. Neptune's Emilia Finer finished sixth in the 400m in 4min 23.92sec. Kiwi swimmer Alfie Weatherston-Harvey finished sixth in the men's 400m freestyle in 4min 0705sec. The championships wrap up tomorrow.
