Karlene Pircher claimed eight victories in the Trans-Tasman series. 80908_05 Picture: DAMJAN JANEVSKI
By MICHAEL ESPOSITO
WERRIBEE swimmer Karlene Pircher broke an Australian record, and then broke it again two days later, at the Trans-Tasman Series which finished on Saturday.
The 15-year-old superfish eclipsed Jessica Legge’s 200m breastroke record in 2008 with a time of 2.28.46 in the first leg of the series at Canberra, and then on Wednesday broke her previous day’s record with a 2:28.02 swim in Wagga Wagga.
The Trans-Tasman series pitted two Australian teams against some of New Zealand’s best young swimmers. Former swimmers to take part in series are Olympics debutants Jayden Hadler, Thomas Fraser-Holmes and Yoalne Kukla, and Beijing gold medallist Bronte Barratt.
Pircher’s team, Australia Gold, finished the meet runner-up behind Australia Green, and one point ahead of New Zealand. Pircher’s dominance in her individual events and her team’s medley performance helped Australia Gold nab second spot.
Pircher, the Australian Age Champion in 14-year-old girls 200m breastroke (a title formerly held by Leisel Jones), qualified for the Trans-Tasman series after narrowly missing out on being selected for August’s Pan Pacific Games in the US.
Only the top ranked Australian 100m breastroker in Pircher’s age group could qualify for the games, and Pircher finished second to Queenslander Georgia Bohl at the Australian Age Championships. Pircher defeated Bohl in the 200m breastroke.
Pircher completed a clean sweep of the 200m breastroke, winning gold in the final leg in Melbourne on Saturday, almost six seconds clear of Jenna Strauch.
She also won all three 100m breastroke finals, with 1:09.74 her best time, and also won the 4x50m and 4x100m medley relay events, breaking the 4x100m record in the process.
Pircher is one of 19 swimmers with a Victorian Institute of Sport Scholarship.
