The Star
Thursday January 25 2018
Latest Christchurch news at www.star.kiwi
Value Cars
Sport
www.valuecarswarehouse.co.nz 32 Moorhouse Ave | 03 366 7768
The biggest range of vehicles in one location
Bates breaks Olympian’s record By Gordon Findlater PROMISING young swimmer Hannah Bates has broken one of Canterbury’s longest standing records in the pool. Bates, 17, set the fastest time ever recorded at the Swimming Canterbury West Coast championships in the women’s 200m individual medley. The open record was previously held by three-time Olympian and Commonwealth Games bronze medallist Helen Lesslie (nee Norfolk). The Aquagym swimmers time also broke the 17-year-agegroup record which was also previously held by Lesslie. Hannah swam the evening session in a scorching 2min 17.29sec shaving .06sec off Lesslie’s open record of 2min 17.35sec which has stood since 2000. “After my first race in the morning my coach told me he thought I could get the record,” said Bates “He was poolside smacking
RECORD BREAKER: Hannah Bates has broken one of Canterbury’s longest standing records in the pool.
his programme against his hand while I was in the pool. When I came up he was clapping and cheering. I looked over at mum and she was almost in tears so I knew I had broken the record.” After the accomplishment Lesslie commented on a Facebook post by Swimming
Canterbury West Coast to congratulate Bates. The 17-year-old then messaged Lesslie privately to show her appreciation. “It was really cool. She didn’t have to take time out of her day to do that,” said Bates. “She told me she had been keeping an eye on me since youth Commonwealth Games
and I could talk to her if I ever needed advice.” Lesslie’s best performance in the 200m individual medley came at the 2004 Athens Olympics where she qualified for the semi-final. In the semi-final she swam in a time of 2min 17.41sec. At the Canterbury West Coast championships Bates also competed in breaststroke, freestyle, backstroke and butterfly events and won seven gold and one silver medal in total. For the seventh year in a row, the championships were held in Dunedin due to Christchurch not having a 50m pool. It was also a successful event for Christchurch club JASI which won the club points competition at Otago-CanterburyWest Coast championships. The Jellie Park-based club finished on 3806 points ahead of Dunedin’s Neptune Swim Club, 3391pts, Wharenui, 2615pts, QE II, 2505pts, and Aquagym, 1982pts.
From Wimbledon to West Coast By Gordon Findlater THREE YEARS ago Englishman Harry Weeds was representing his county on the lush grass courts of Wimbledon. At the weekend, he won the West Coast Open during which time he slept in his car at a campground. “I spent the first night in my car but had to have the door open all night because it was stinking hot. I splashed out on Saturday night and stayed in a cabin,” said Weeds. Now living in Woolston and a Cashmere Tennis Club member, he dominated the cultured AstroTurf at the Grey United Tennis Club going unbeaten over two days of competition. The 23-year-old decided to
enter the tournament due to the holiday break in the Canterbury premier inter-club competition and to also explore the sights of Greymouth. Weeds went through the tournament relatively untested until his final match against Vaughan Kingi. Weeds found himself down a break in both sets of the match but rallied to win 7-6, 6-4. He also teamed up with Kingi to win the doubles title. Weeds was awarded $200 for winning the singles title and $75 for the doubles. “It was a successful trip. That covered all of my petrol, food and accommodation,” said Weeds. He celebrated his win by visiting the Monteith’s Brewing Co and spending some of his prizemoney on beer
ENHANCE WELLBEING Imagine having the knowledge and skills to enrich lives and help meet the demand for qualified care professionals. With a Level 3 Certificate in Health and Wellbeing from Ara, this can be your future.
Apply now for Health & Wellbeing, start January.
ara.ac.nz
tasting and fries. “The Golden Lager was my favourite. It was a very refreshing drop after a gruelling two days of battle on the West Coast,” said Weeds. In June, he moved to Christchurch from Norwich, England, for what he describes as a working adventure. Weeds has played on a number of courts at Wimbledon during his time in England. In 2014, he represented his county, Norfolk, in a match against the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club. Retaining his West Coast titles in 2019 has already been added to his to-do list while in New Zealand. “I’ll definitely be back. Greymouth has given itself a special place in my heart.”
35
TOURIST: Harry Weeds (right) played on Wimbledon’s court seven with friend Charlie Horn in 2015. On Sunday he won the West Coast Open in Greymouth.
at
In Brief GARVEY LINKS UP WITH KO Amelia Garvey has left Christchurch to learn from former world No 1 Lydia Ko in the United States. Garvey will travel with Auckland’s Rose Zheng to Scottsdale in Phoenix, Arizona, and spend time with Ko, training and playing at one of the most exclusive golfing establishments in the world after being offered the scholarship by New Zealand Golf and Ko. The former Burnside High student is ranked No 1 in Canterbury and ninth in the New Zealand amateur rankings. Garvey will spend time with Ko until Saturday learning about the game she wants to pursue as a career. SPEEDWAY SPRINTCARS A line-up of top sprintcars will contest the 16th annual Gold Cup event at Ruapuna Speedway this weekend. Australian Allan Woods is among the entries along with five North Island-based drivers including former national champions Jamie McDonald and Jamie Larsen. McDonald’s entry will surprise some as he was involved in a horrific crash at Western Springs, Auckland, in December, which destroyed his car. He has a new machine to finish the season in. A strong South Island contingent includes Jamie Duff who contested the national title race last weekend at Western Springs but was eliminated early in the final when a tyre exploded. Racing starts at 6.30pm on Friday and Saturday. TOUGH TASK FOR CRICKETERS New Zealand face an uncertain and tough task in their Under-19 Cricket World Cup quarter-final at Hagley Oval today against Afghanistan. The host’s opposition may not be a traditional cricket powerhouse. However, coming into the tournament many considered Afghanistan a dark horse to take the trophy after winning the U19 Asian Cup where they defeated Pakistan. Their squad features two players with senior international experience. Leftarm pace bowler and local player Connor Sullivan will be hoping to feature in the New Zealand XI in front of a home crowd.
ENGLISH PARK
SUNDAY, 28 JANUARY 2pm
vs Wellington Phoenix