Swimmers from our region delivered an impressive set of results at the NZ Secondary Schools Open Water Championships held at Blue Lake last weekend, with several athletes earning podium finishes across multiple events.

In the 500m races, Maggie Harper placed second in the 14–15 year age group with a time of 6:11.20. Maxwell Latu also finished second in the same age group in 5:42.60, while Kaeto Sasamoto secured third place in 5:51.90. Rio Sasamoto claimed the gold medal in the 16–19 year division, finishing in 5:59.20, and Paige Franklin took second place in the 16–18 year category with a time of 6:01.90.

Franklin continued her strong form in the 1km race, earning another silver medal in the 16–18 year division with a time of 15:16.10.

In the longer-distance 3.5km event, Maggie Harper added another podium finish to her weekend, placing third in the 14–15 year category with a time of 50:15.70. Eliot Webber also secured third place in the 16–19 year division, finishing in 46:52.90.

The championships attracted swimmers from across the country and provided a challenging test of endurance and race strategy in open water conditions. The results highlight the strength and depth of the region’s secondary school swimmers, with athletes showing determination and resilience across all distances.