Swimming: Godfrey selected in NZ youth team

Kate GodfreyKate Godfrey (Neptune) has been selected in the New Zealand team for the Commonwealth Youth Games in the Isle of Man in September.

This was a difficult team to make with only four women and four men named for the championships.

On the final night of the New Zealand open championships in Auckland at the weekend, Godfrey finished sixth in the 200m backstroke.

Her time of 2min 19.20sec broke her own Otago open record. It was worth 720 Fina points.

It was the second Otago open record broken by Godfrey (17), a pupil at Otago Girls' High School, at the championships. She also set a new mark in the 100m backstroke in 1min 5.56sec.

Katie Kenneally (Neptune) finished fourth in the women's 400m individual medley in 5min 1.71sec. It was worth 712 Fina points.

Two other Neptune swimmers, Matthew Glassford and Adam Simpson, reached the final of the men's 400m individual medley.

Glassford was sixth in 4min 37.34sec and Simpson seventh in 4min 37.63sec.

Neptune was eighth in the overall club standings and Waves was 15th of the 37 clubs which contested the championships.

Joining Godfrey in the team for the Commonwealth Youth Games are Sophia Batchelor (AquaGym, Canterbury), Emma Robinson (Capital, Wellington), Natasha Lloyd (North Canterbury), Corey Main (Howick Pakuranga), Alex Hancock (Howick Pakuranga), Matthew Hutchins (Wharenui) and Michael Mincham (Waterhole).

These swimmers are among New Zealand's best prospects for the 2014 Commonwealth Games and the 2016 Olympics.

Swimming New Zealand is also selecting promising young swimmers to attend the Outward Bound leadership course.

Glassford and Troy Balvert (Waves) have been included in the 14-strong team for this month's week-long course.