Latest news with #CaitlinDeans
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.
RNZ News
21-05-2025
- Sport
- RNZ News
Fairweather wins stunning 800 freestyle final to qualify for World Champs
New Zealand swimmer Erika Fairweather. Photo: PHOTOSPORT Olympians Erika Fairweather, Eve Thomas and Caitlin Deans have all recorded World Championship qualifying times in an impressive 800m Freestyle final on the opening day of the New Zealand Swimming Championships in Auckland. Fairweather showcased the form which saw her reach four Olympic finals last year. The 21-year-old led the race from start to finish, recording a time of 8:21.67s to go well under the World Champs qualification time of 8:34.62s. Eve Thomas pipped Caitlin Deans for second place with a of 8:29.32, just over half a second ahead of Thomas. "It means so much to me to make that qualification time," Deans said. "Everyone swam such a good race so I'm really stoked. Sharing the pool with Eve and Erika and having them to push me along has made me a better athlete and got me to where I am and it's great that we all swam under that time." North Shore's Louis Clark won the men's 1500m Freestyle in a time that qualified him for the 3-kilometre knockout Open Water event at the World Aquatics Championships in Singapore in July. Another athlete to punch his ticket to a world event was 18-year-old Igor Russanov who qualified for the World Junior Champs with his fifth place finish in the 50m Freestyle final. Sixteen-year-old Ariel Muchirahondo continued his fine run of form, picking up the first long course open national title of his career, storming home to win the men's 400m Individual Medley. In the multi class events Viking Swim Club's Gaby Smith took out the women's 100m Breaststroke final. The SB9 swimmer went under the World Para Swimming Championships qualification time. In the men's 100m Breaststroke Joshua Willmer finished third to break his SB8 New Zealand record twice in one day and go under the World Championships qualification time. In the women's 50m Freestyle Chelsey Edwards added another national title to her name, while Zoe Pedersen finished third setting a New Zealand 18-years record and going under the World Junior Championships qualification time. Olympian Hazel Ouwehand retained her national title in the women's 100m Butterfly. More than 350 athletes are competing at the Championships. Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero, a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
Otago Daily Times
21-05-2025
- Sport
- Otago Daily Times
Medals for Deans, Weatherston-Harvey
Olympian Caitlin Deans grabbed Otago's first medal at the New Zealand championships last night. The Neptune swimmer faced a real battle against Olympic relay team-mate Eve Thomas, but Deans prevailed to secure silver in the women's 800m freestyle final in Auckland. She finished in 8min 29.32sec, while Thomas (Coast) claimed bronze in 8min 30.00sec. Former Dunedin swimmer Erika Fairweather, in her first race for new club North Shore since moving to Auckland earlier this year, won gold in 8min 21.67sec. All three swam under the qualifying mark for the world aquatic championships in Singapore later this year. Kiwi swimmer Alfie Weatherston-Harvey collected Otago's second medal, taking bronze in the men's 1500m final. The 17-year-old finished in 16min 13.20sec. Neptune swimmer Emilia Finer was the fourth Kiwi home in the women's 400m IM in 5min 02.66sec. She finished fifth overall after visiting athlete Videau Deotille, of Tahiti, claimed silver. Kiwi Kale Twist finished fifth in the men's 50m freestyle in 22.85sec and club-mate Liam Rees was seventh in the men's IM with 4min 49.49sec. Olympian Hazel Ouwehand was the only swimmer to go under the 1min mark in the women's 100m butterfly, finishing in 58.81sec. Esme Paterson (Neptune) was fifth in 1min 01.41sec. More Otago athletes are back in the pool today for the second day of the championships.
Otago Daily Times
20-05-2025
- Sport
- Otago Daily Times
Otago contingent poised to make splash
From the rising superstars to the local Olympians, Otago's depth will be making a splash at the national championships this week. Twelve swimmers from across the region will be among the more than 350 athletes, including 17 Aquablacks, vying for titles in Auckland starting today. Neptune will be spearheaded by Olympians Caitlin Deans and Kane Follows. Follows enjoyed a national championships to remember last season when he qualified for Paris and broke the national record in the men's 200m backstroke. He will again line up for the 200m and 100m backstroke. Deans also had a strong championships in 2024 and will line up for the 200m, 400m, 800m and 1500m freestyle in Auckland. Aquablack Esme Paterson will race in the 100m freestyle, and the 50m, 100m, and 200m butterfly, and Tom Gold will compete in the 50m and 100m freestyle and the 50m butterfly. Emilia Finer, who won five gold medals at the international ice swimming world championships earlier this year, rounds out the Neptune squad, racing in the 400m and 1500m freestyle, 400m IM and the 200m butterfly. Kiwi's six swimmers is the largest contingent heading away. Rising star Alfie Weatherston-Harvey will race in the 200m, 400m, 800m and 1500m freestyle, the 200m backstroke and the 400m medley relay. Taka Sugiyama is in for a busy week swimming in the 50m, 100m and 200m breaststroke, the 200m and 400m freestyle and IM, and the 400m medley relay. Liam Rees is scheduled to compete in the 50m, 100m and 200m backstroke, the 200m and 400m IM, the 50m freestyle, and the 400m freestyle and medley relay, while Kale Twist will race individually in the 50m and 100m freestyle — he finished fourth in the 100m last year — and in the 400m freestyle and 400m medley relays. Meg McLaughlan will race in the 50m, 100m and 200m breaststroke, and the mixed 400m freestyle relay, and Abby Samuels is down for the 50m and 100m freestyle, the 50m butterfly, and the mixed 400m freestyle relay. Alexandra swimmer Caleb Ludlow has has a fine season so far and will fly the flag for Central Otago. He is scheduled to swim in the 50m, 100m and 200m breaststroke, the 50m freestyle and the 200m IM. Former Neptune swimmer Erika Fairweather will race in her new colours for North Shore for the first time at a national event. The Olympian, who made the move to Auckland earlier this year, will race in the 100m, 200m, 400m and 800m freestyle. Olympian Lewis Clareburt is training and competing overseas and will skip the national event. The championships are a key for athletes qualifying for the world championships, para world championships and the world junior championships. The championships runs until Sunday.
