Lauren Boyle took down the national 400m free record on 4:07.61 to book a tickler to the world titles in Shanghai this July alongside  Natalie Wiegersma and Glenn Snyders on the first day of action at the New Zeraland trials in Auckland.

Boyle, a 23-year-old based in California and facing final business degree exams when she returns there, plans to be return to Auckland permanently before world titles. On 4:07.61 she was inside the 4:09.45 national mark she set at Commonwealth Games last year. 

"I came here not really knowing what to expect. I was really pleased with my time and the swim in the heats to go 4:12, I knew that I had a good time in me," Boyle told reporters. "It felt great tonight and I am so delighted to go 4:07."

Wiegersma booked her place in Shanghai with a 2:15.02 in the 200m medley, while Snyders clocked 1:01.49 to ease inside the cut for China by 0.08sec in the 100m breaststroke.

"The first goal was to qualify for Shanghai and I've done that but I was not happy with that time tonight," Snyders told reporters.

In other action, 15-year-old Cantabrian Sophia Batchelor became the first from her country to crack the minute in the 100m butterfly, winning the crown in 59.54. That left her 0.19sec shy of the cut for Shanghai.

"It felt so good and strong in the water," Batchelor said. "I swam it exactly as we wanted. There are always things we can improve on and in the future I will go even faster."

Daniel Bell took the 50m butterfly in 24.12, while Dylan Dunlop-Barrett claimed the 400m freestyle crown in 3:51.27.