Commonwealth Games medallist Lauren Boyle won't use the world championships ticket she earned on the final night of the New Zealand short course swimming championships at Mount Maunganui tonight.

Boyle, who has been in relax mode since her Delhi campaign, went under the tough qualifying time for next month's short course world championships at Dubai when she took won the 400m freestyle title.

The 22-year-old clocked four minutes 05.09 seconds in a dominant display to become the second qualifier for Dubai following Christchurch's Sophia Batchelor on the opening night.

However, she has decided to bypass the opportunity to race in Dubai after discussions with her coach Mark Regan.

"I've been ticking over but not doing anything too seriously since the Commonwealth Games," Boyle said.

"I came down here with no expectations at all, just to have some fun. So this is a really nice surprise."

Some of Boyle's Commonwealth Games teammates, only just back into training after a well earned break, also shone tonight.

Glenn Snyders won the 50m breaststroke in 27.78sec while Daniel Bell claimed bragging rights over Gareth Kean in the 100m backstroke in 53.50sec and edged Steven Kent to win the 100m individual medley.

Tash Hind was too strong in the dash home to win the women's 100m individual medley.

There were also some encouraging performances from a number of promising youngsters.

None more so than 14-year-old Kaiapoi swimmer Natasha Lloyd, who stepped out of the pool after swimming the 400m freestyle, to win the women's 50m breaststroke. Lloyd scored her second open title of the meet and her time of 32.09sec was 2/10ths of a second off her own national record set at the Tri Series against Australia earlier in the year.

It has been a demanding time for the super-talented swimmer with the Kaiapoi club pool still out of action since the earthquake that rocked the town. The squad under coach Brigette Mahan have squeezed in to the pool at the nearby township of Rangiora.

The next major target for the elite swimmers will be the New Zealand Open championships in Auckland in April which will double as the official trial for the world long course championships.

Leading finals results:

Men

400m freestyle: Matt Stanley (HPC-Matamata) 3min 7.24sec 1, Mitchell Dixon (Australia) 3:49.06 2, Dylan Dunlop-Barrett (Bell Block) 3:51.78 3.

50m breaststroke: Glenn Snyders (HPC-North Shore) 27.78 1, Luke Westgaard (Roskill Magic) 28.30 2, Daniel Crook (Australia) 28.37 3.

50m freestyle: Nielsen Varoy (Roskill Magic) 22.38 1, William Benson (Roskill Magic) 22.47 2, Lloyd Townsing (Australia) 22.64 3.

100m backstroke: Daniel Bell (HPC-North Shore) 53.42 1, Gareth Kean (Capital) 53.50 2, Kurt Bassett (Laser Mt Eden) 54.66 3.

200m butterfly: Shaun Burnett (North Shore) 1:56.91 1, Brett Newall (United) 2:00.74 2, Angus Boyle (Karori Pirates) 2:05.73 3.

100m individual medley: Daniel Bell (HPC-North Shore) 56.21 1, Steven Kent (United) 56.34 2, Carsten Corazza (Howick Pakuranga) 57.86 3.

Women

400m freestyle: Lauren Boyle (HPC-North Shore) 4:05.09 1 (World Championship qualifier), Cara Baker (Howick Pakuranga) 4:10.13 2, Samantha Lucie-Smith (Karori Pirates) 4:14.94 3.

50m breaststroke: Natasha Lloyd (Kaiapoi) 32.09 1, Kelly Briden (QEII) 32.66 2, Kendall Reidy (Central Hawkes Bay) 33.12 3.

50m freestyle: Samantha Richter (North Shore) 25.50 1, Danielle Koni (Roskill Magic) 25.76 2, Tash Hind (HPC-Capital) 25.82 3.

100m freestyle: Sophia Batchelor (Aqua Gym) 1:00.83 1, Jessie Blundell (North Shore) 1:00.92 2, Carmen Ooi (United) 1:03.31 3.

200m butterfly: Charlotte Webby (Bell Block) 2:10.42 1, Melissa Ingram (HPC-North Shore) 2:13.37 2.

100m individual medley: Tash Hind (HPC-Capital) 1:02.01 1, Grace Francis (North Shore) 1:02.64 2, Carmen Ooi (United) 1:04.71 3.

- NZPA