Westlake Girls Sportswoman of the Year, Zoe Crawford, was in record breaking form at the Australian Surf Lifesaving Pool Rescue Championships last weekend in Brisbane. The Year 13 student won 5 gold medals and 7 silver medals, crushed 2 Australian records and 4 New Zealand ones at the event.
Racing with her Australian Club, BMD Northcliffe’, Crawford returned to school this week, shattered but elated with her winning form. Shaving two seconds of the Junior World Record, Crawford swam 57.14 in the 100m Manikin Tow. The previous record was 59.19. The Manikin Tow race requires the swimmer to dive into the pool wearing fins and a tube, swim 50m to collect a 65kg manikin and then tow it back to the finish as quickly as possible.
Crawford was a member of the New Zealand Youth team who won silver at the Junior World Championships in Italy last year and was recently named the Under 19 Northern Region Sportswoman of the Year. Fellow Mairangi Bay Surf Lifesaving club member and Westlake Girls senior, Michaela Pocock was named the Under 17 Northern Region Sportswoman of the Year. Both students are current members of the New Zealand High Performance Squads and are working towards the World Championships on the Gold Coast next year.
Crawfords List of Medals:
- 1st – U19 100 Manikin Tow – WORLD RECORD (Youth) & Australian and NZ Record
- 1st – U19 100 Manikin Carry – Smashed Australian & NZ Record
- 2nd – U19 50 Manikin Carry – NZ Record
- 2nd – U19 200 Super Lifesaver – NZ Record
- 2nd – U19 200m Obstacles
- 2nd – U19 Line Throw
- 2nd – U19 Rescue Medley
Relays
- 1st – Open – 4 x 50m Obstacle Relay
- 1st – Open -Mixed Lifesaver Relay
- 1st – Open 4 x 50 Medley Relay
- 2nd – Under 19 Mixed Lifesaver Relay
- 2nd – Open 4 x 25 Manikin Relay