The first day of the North Island Secondary Schools Championships was very successful for the PNBHS team. All 14 swimmers have competed well and are achieving good times.
Alex Odom has led the way with 3 gold medals from his 3 events. His win in the 15 year old 100m Individual Medley in 59.68 further lowered his own School Record and was a Manawatu Age Group record. His win in the 50m Back in 26.7 also lowered his own School Record. His gold for the 100m Free in a time of 52.95 smashed the previous school record by more than 2 seconds and was also a Manawatu Age Group record by a second.
Alex Willis also competed with distinction in the 14 year old age group. He gained gold medals in the 100m Breast in a time of 1:08.32, lowering his own School Record and in the 50m Breast in 31.79, again breaking the School Record. Alex also gained a Silver medal in the 100m Fly and a Bronze in the 100m Individual Medley.
Levi Holman gained Silver medals in the 17 and over 100 Individual Medley and the 100m Breast.
Ian Tsui gained a bronze medal in the 14 year old 50m Breast.
To finish off the day the team had 3 swimmers in the 13-15 year old Skins Event. This event is a gruelling elimination race where the swimmers complete 50m of a stroke randomly drawn out of a hat, with the slowest 2 being eliminated. After 1 minute rest they then repeat the process until after 4 lots of 50m it is down the final 2 swimmers. Alex Willis went out early after a big day of swimming. The last two swimmers were Cole Phillips and Alex Odom. Alex took out the win after Cole drew Alex's favoured 50m Fly as the final leg.
The final session of the North Island Swimming Championships was held in Wellington on Sunday morning.
Alex Odom continued his great form. He won the 15 Year Old 100m Backstroke in 57.86. This broke the previous school record by 1.5 seconds and is also a new Manawatu age group record. He also won the 13-15 Year Old Elimination race to claim his 6th individual gold medal for the meet from 7 swims. The 50m free was only event which Alex swam and did not medal. In this event he would have broke his own school record had he not been beaten by Cole Phillips.
Cole Phillips claimed his first medal after a string of 4th placings. His 50m Freestyle in 24.30 broke the previous school record and gave him the Silver medal.
Alex Willis continued to swim very well, claiming the Silver medal in the 14 Year Old 50m Fly.
Josh Carroll finished a good meet for him with a PB and a Bronze medal in the 14 Year Old 100m Backstroke.
Ian Tsui claimed the Bronze medal in the 14 Year Old 50m Freestyle.
With the individual events done it was time for the relays. We entered 3 teams in the 13-15 year old relays with outstanding results. The PNBHS A team of Alex Odom, Alex Willis, Cole Phillips and Ian Tsui won the 4x50m Medley relay, in a time that would have also won the senior age group. In the 4x50m Free relay the same team completely dominated the pool, winning by 4 seconds and in a time that also would have won the senior age group. The PNBHS B Team of Tariq Billinghurst, Ethan Limmer, Ryan Stott, and Josh Carroll finished a very credible 4th in the same event.
