Westlake Boys’ High School back on top in the pool

​After a Covid-disrupted 2020, Westlake Boys’ High School are back on top as the leading New Zealand boys swimming school.

The 2019 New Zealand Secondary School Swimming Championships boys competition winners chose not to compete at last year’s re-scheduled event that was pushed back because of the disruptions and lockdowns.
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But this past weekend Westlake BHS were emphatic winners of this year’s title. Their winning points tally was 1,022 points, with second placed Palmerston North Boys’ High School finishing the meet on 477 points and third placed Hamilton Boys’ High School on 377.

Westlake BHS's teams celebrating their win at the end of the four-day meet.

​Westlake BHS went into the championships held at the nearby National Aquatic Centre with a competitive team of 29 swimmers and a strong balance between the junior and senior team members.

Westlake BHS team manager and swimming TIC Andrea Dawber said the swimmers were motivated to win back the top boys school and boys relay trophies.

“Throughout the event there was a great display of team camaraderie where the senior and junior swimmers were cheering one another on, especially during the relays, and it was great to see a sense of brotherhood amongst the team,” Andrea said.
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The NZSS Swimming Championships is very much a team event. Points are awarded on a sliding scale in every race from 26 for gold to 2 for last. The school with the most points at the end is declared the winner, so all points can be vital. 

The winning Westlake BHS senior (left) and junior (right) teams.

​“It is so rare to represent your school in swimming and to be on such a prestigious stage and the team came together under the crest of the swan and truly lived up to the school moto Virtute Experiamur (Let courage be thy test).
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“At the end of session 3 we were up on the points table for the top boys relay team with 121 points, second place going to Palmerston North Boys’ High School on 81 points and top boys school with 470 points. But we knew we had to hold onto this place and were motivated to increase the margin.
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“One of the highlights for the team was celebrating the success of Cameron Gray in the 50m Backstroke, gaining the NZ Age Group record, but also in the 8 x 50m Freestyle relay (Daniel, Ivan, Andrei, Lukas, Howard, Matthew, Larn, Cameron). Cameron is the captain and in his final year of school they were swimming for much more than the gold medal but rather as a final hoorah for Cam as well.”

Westlake BHS's A and B 8 x 50m relay team.

This was Westlake BHS’s fourth win, following back-to-back wins in 2015 and 2016 and 2019. See below for a list of winners.

The girls trophy was won by Diocesan School for Girls, who edged Epsom Girls’ Grammar School in a thriller. Dio’s final points total was 575 points and EGGS’ 572. Baradene College was third on 516.

Last year’s overall winners Rangitoto College were convincing winners of the Co-Ed Cup tophy, with 1607 points. Mount Albert Grammar School with 677 and MacLeans College with 645 were second and third.

Western Heights High Schools won the Para-swimming competition.

Westlake Boys’ High School results
 
Individual medals won
Gold: 11
Silver: 13
Bronze: 13
 
Relay medals won
Gold: 6
Bronze: 3
 
Total medals won
Gold: 17
Silver: 13
Bronze: 16
 
Standout individual results:
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Cameron Gray
1st 100IM 17-18yrs
2nd 100Back 17-18
1st 100Fr 17-18
1st 50 Fly 17-18
1st 50Bk 17-18 New Zealand Age Group Records (Was 24.62 NOW 24.44)
2nd 50Fr 17-18
1st 100Fr 17-18yrs
1st 50 Fly 17-18yrs
 
Howard Lu
3rd 100IM 15yrs
3rd 100Back 15yrs
3rd 50 Fly 15yrs
2nd 100Fly 15yrs
3rd 200IM 15yrs
 
Ivan Lu
2nd 400m Fr
2nd 100Fr 15 Yrs
2nd 200 Fr 15yrs
 
Daniel Zheng
1st 50Br 16yrs
1st 50 Fly 16yrs
2nd 50 Fr 16yrs
 
Matthew Zheng
2nd 100Back 14yrs
3rd 200Bk 14yrs
2nd 50m Bk 14yrs
 
Joseph Shin
3rd 100IM 13yrs
1st 200Br 13yrs
1st 50Br 13yrs
2nd 100Br 13yrs
3rd 200IM 13yrs
 
NZSS Secondary School Swimming Championships boys winners

The NZSS Swimming Championships have been contested on an annual basis since 2011.

Wellington College won the inaugural meet, which included one trophy awarded to the best overall boys, girls and co-ed school,  but since 2012 separate trophies have awarded to the leading boys, girls, Co-Ed schools and Para schools.

2011: Wellington College
2012: Wellington College
2013: Wellington College
2014: Auckland Grammar School
2015: Westlake Boys’ High School
2016: Westlake Boys’ High School
2017: Tauranga Boys’ College
2018: Wellington College
2019: Westlake Boys’ High School
2020: Rangitoto College
2021: Westlake Boys’ High School

Thanks to the One Foundation for their support in 2021.