Swim championships come to Waitakere City
The New Zealand National Age Group Championships - the largest swim meet in Waitakere City since the 1990 Commonwealth
Games – will be held at the West Wave Aquatic Centre from March 2 –6.
The championships are the country’s premier event for 13 to 18 year old swimmers, with 653 competitors, 216 coaches and
managers and 75 poolside officials.
This includes all members of the New Zealand Swim Team to the Australian Youth Olympic Festival in Sydney in January
along with swimmers from Australia, Japan, New Caledonia and Fiji.
The top Kiwi performers are expected to form the base of the New Zealand team to the 2006 Melbourne Commonwealth Games.
Swimmers to watch include Mark Herring of West Auckland Aquatics in the 18 year olds’ freestyle event, 17-year-old
Melissa Ingram, a backstroke finalist in last year’s Manchester Commonwealth Games, and North Shore’s Corney Swanepoel
in the 16 year olds’ butterfly event.
It is the first time in 11 years that the Championships have been held in the Auckland region. Heats will start in the
mornings, with finals run from 5.30 pm.