Bradlee Ashby and Sophie Pascoe starred on day two of the national short course championships, with Ashby setting a new open men’s record and Pascoe continuing her world record form.
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 off a strong challenge from the Coetzee brothers, Corneille and Wilrich, in the 100m backstroke final with a time of 52.39.
Sophie Pascoe 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 earlier in the meet.
“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 on social media.
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 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.
“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”, Fa’amausili said.
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