Thomas Magill has just beaten some of New Zealand’s swimming records, which also happen to be his own from the previous year.

At 15, Thomas is showing strong potential for a future in representing the country in swimming.

He recently competed in the 2024 Apollo Projects NZ Short Course Swimming Championships in Auckland where he broke two New Zealand records for freestyle.

“My favourite style is freestyle,” said Thomas.

“It was the only style I was good at,” he joked.

Thomas Magill is 15 years old and is showing strong potential for a future representing New Zealand in swimming. Photo: John Borren.

“I love butterfly and breaststroke’s pretty good, but I’m not too good at backstroke.”

Thomas said he feels pretty good about his results from the short course championships.

“I got the S19 Short Course national record for 800m freestyle, and I also got the S19 Short Course under-16 national record for the 400m freestyle, and I also came second overall in the 800m freestyle.”

These records were previously broken by Thomas when he was 14, he bet his own records and achieved his personal best.

He said it was good to see improvement year on year.

“A lot of hard work has paid off.

“I got some pretty good PB’s that I didn’t know I had in me, but I can definitely improve on it and that’s why I made a goal for next year to be even faster.”

Thomas said that his friends at the Pāpāmoa Swimming Club helped to get him there and he is grateful for their support.

“They’re always encouraging me; we always push each other to do our best.”

Thomas Magill is 15 years old and is showing strong potential for a future representing New Zealand in swimming. Photo: John Borren.

Thomas’ group of friends at the club are really tight. He says he feels a lot of support from the club and the coaching team there.

“They’ve been fantastic taking them through the years,” said Thomas. “I think that the club has a big part to play in motivating the kids.”

Thomas’ mum, Kate Magill, says Pāpāmoa Amateur Swimming Club is a club run by a committee of volunteers that are passionate about providing a local swimming club for the Pāpāmoa community.

“The club is based in the Pāpāmoa School pool and offer a variety of swimming options from ‘Learn to Swim’ to competitive swimming and fitness training.

“The club has about 100 squad swimmers, more than 40 of whom swim competitively and many more that compete in other aquatic sports such as water polo and surf lifesaving.

“The club has a further 70-plus swimmers in the pre squad programmes and up to 100 swimmers in the learn to swim programme in the summer months.”

Thomas has been swimming since he was 5 and started competitive swimming when he was 11.

“Thomas got into swimming to help with his water polo because it was his initial passion,” said dad Tom Magill who explains that it also helps with his son’s lifeguarding duties.

Thomas Magill is 15 years old and is showing strong potential for a future representing New Zealand in swimming. Photo: John Borren.

Thomas received his lifeguard qualifications last year at the Pāpāmoa Surf Life-Saving Club where he volunteers over the summer period.

He still plays water polo and represented the premier boys’ team for Aquinas College and is also playing for the boys’ under 16 Tauranga team this year.

“I’ve played water polo since I was in year six and I have always loved it.”

When asked what he sees for himself in the future, he said that he wants to represent New Zealand.

After watching the recent 2024 Paris Olympics, being a professional swimmer and representing the country has been on his mind.

“I have always wanted to represent New Zealand on an international scale.”

Thomas continues to work hard and who knows, next year he might beat his own records once again.