Age-group swimming

Press, 16 February 1980, Page 6

Age-group swimming

PA New Plymouth Five events eniered, five events won. That was the record a slightly-built Auckland 12-year-old, Paul Kingsman, compiled on the opening day of the New Zeland age-group swimming championships at New Plymouth yesterday. Kingsman, a member of the Mt Roskill club, won four gold medals in individual events and set two new age-group records in the process. To round off -the day, he swam the first leg of the 6 x 100 m inter-region freestyle relay for the northern team and his initial break paved the way for a comfortable win.

Kingsman set records in the 12-years-and-under 200 m backstroke (2min 36.95) and. the 100 m backstroke (I min 12.75). He also won the 12-and-

under 200 m medley for /.he second year in succession. Last year he won the event as an 11-year-old. Kingsman’s other win was in the 12-and-under 200 m freestyle which he won comfortably from his Auckland team-mates, Gene Goodall and Brent Foster.

Canterbury’s Rickie Binning was another to dominate with three wins out of four in the 15 years girls events. She set a record m the 200 m medley of 2min 28.25, clipping 0.6 s off the old mark. . Other wins were in the 400 m freestyle and the 200 m butterfly whil”' she chase' Carolyn Morgan (Wanganm home in the 200 m backstroke.

In <he 16-years girls’ sec tion, the internationally perienced Melanie Jo nf (Canterbury) clipped 3.6 s o the 200 m backstroke ai group time.