Swimming New Zealand has named an inexperienced 17-strong team for the World Short Course Championships in Hungary.
A number of top contenders such as Erika Fairweather, Cameron Gray and Lewis Clareburt are missing, but Olympians Helena Gasson, Eve Thomas and Hazel Ouwehand are confirmed in an otherwise raw squad.
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Gasson will attend her second World Short Course Championships after achieving multiple World Aquatics "A" times at he 2024 NZ Short Course Swimming Championships.
Emma Godwin (Heretaunga Sundevils) and Gina McCarthy (Hamilton Aquatics & RPC Waikato) return to the world stage, with both athletes having experienced at least one World Swimming Championships (25m) in the past.
The team has 12 debutants at the World Short Course level.
Sam Brown (Coast) will make his first appearance at a World Aquatics competition where he achieved an "A" time in the men's 400m individual medley.
Oceania Championships medallists Chris Elson (Vikings), Jack Hendy (Club 37) and Neve Tassicker (Ngā Tai Tūātea a Taraika) will be competing at their first World Aquatics meet.
Junior Pan Pacific Swimming Championships finalists Zoe Pedersen (Coast) and Milana Tapper (St Peter's) will step up to the senior international level after strong performances in Canberra in August, while Larn Hamblyn-Ough (Coast) will also being making the step up after returning from the World Aquatics Junior Open Water Swimming Championships held in Sardinia last month.
Brearna Crawford (Waitakere) and Cooper Morley (North Shore) will take a break from their college swimming in the USA to join the team in Budapest to debut at the World Short Course level.
Teammates Savannah-Eve Martin (Coast) and Zyleika Pratt-Smith (Coast) join Hugo Wrathall (Jasi) to round out the team, with all three stepping up to make make their senior debut also.
The two coaches selected on the team are Michael Weston (Coast) and John Gatfield (Coast). Toni Bayliffe will be supporting the team as Team Manager.
The 2024 World Aquatics Short Course Swimming Championships in Budapest, Hungary will be held December 10-15.