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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.
Otago Daily Times
22-05-2025
- Sport
- Otago Daily Times
Follows picks up Otago's first open gold at champs
Kane Follows. PHOTO: ODT FILES Olympian Kane Follows won Otago's first open gold medal at the national championships last night. The Neptune swimmer was the only athlete to go under the two-minute mark in the men's 200m backstroke, clocking 1min 58.39sec in Auckland. It was just outside the qualifying time of 1min 58.07sec required for the world championships. "Honestly thought I did it," Follows told commentators when reflecting on the qualifying time. "Life's been a little different in the last few months, but felt like I adapted really well. "Definitely know I was faster than that leading into this, so pretty disappointed." It is the same event where Follows lit up the national championships last year, and qualified for his first Olympics after years of grinding away. He reflected it had been a challenging time returning after a pinnacle event. "It's a tough transition at the best of times. "I got told that I was too old, that I wasn't fast enough any more. It was kind of just head down, working full time and just trying the best I can. "I'm still proud of what I put out there today." Kiwi club swimmer Liam Rees won bronze in the men's 17-18 200m backstroke in 2min 09.47sec. Fellow Kiwi swimmer Alfie Weatherston-Harvey — who won gold in the men's 17-18 1500m freestyle and bronze in the men's on Wednesday — finished seventh in 2min 10.98sec. Alexandra's Caleb Ludlow was the fourth New Zealander home in the men's 17-18 50m breaststroke final in 31.15sec. New Zealand swimmer Kale Twist — who broke the Otago 50m freestyle record on Wednesday — finished eighth in the men's 100m freestyle in 50.91sec. Former Dunedin swimmer Erika Fairweather finished fourth in the women's 100m freestyle in 55.59sec.
