5 Oct 2017

Records fall for Ashby and Pascoe

7:36 am on 5 October 2017

Bradlee Ashby and Sophie Pascoe again stared on day two of the national short course para championships in Auckland.

Bradlee Ashby is one of five New Zealand swimmers making their Olympic debut.

Bradlee Ashby Photo: Photosport

Ashby from Hamilton set a new open men's record in the 200 medley and para swimmer Pascoe continuing her world record form in the 200 medley.

In the first final of the evening session Ashby burst out of the blocks and never relinquished his lead. Touching home in 1:55.30, setting a new open men's 200m individual medley short course record. A record previously held by Dean Kent.

Ashby also took home a second gold medal, holding of a strong challenge from the Coetzee brothers, Corneille and Wilrich (North Shore), in the 100m backstroke final with a time of 52.39.

Sophie Pascoe celebrates winning gold in the women's 200m individual medley SM10.

Sophie Pascoe celebrates winning gold in the women's 200m individual medley SM10. Photo: Photosport

Sophie Pascoe (QEII) again showed her class by breaking her own SM10 200m individual medley world record in the morning heats before breaking it again in the final in 2:21.45. This follows the two world records she broke yesterday.

"I loved racing my favourite event (the 200 IM) and breaking my previous world record… Racing is feeling oh so good this week", Pascoe said.

Pascoe also set a new personal best time (34.97) in the SB9 50m breaststroke dipping under the 35 second mark for the first time.

Gabrielle Fa'amausili (United) showed she's in great form as she builds towards qualifying for the 2018 Gold Coast Commonwealth Games. Fa'amausili set a new national 17 years age group record in the 100m backstroke final with a time of 59.66.

Fa'amusili didn't have it all her own way in the race as Bobbi Gichard (HPK) and Kyla Alexander (United) pushed her right through to the end.

Fa'amausili says, "three laps into the race I didn't think I was going to win because I saw Bobbi and Kyla so close next to me but thankfully I just pulled away at the end".