Clareburt Breaks New Zealand Record

Day Five Wrap of the 2025 World Aquatics Championships – Swimming

Lewis Clareburt (Club 37) continued his fine form as he broke his own New Zealand record on day five of the 2025 World Aquatics Championships in Singapore.

Racing from lane seven in the men’s 200m individual medley final, Clareburt got away smartly to be sixth at the first turn, with the middle lanes of newly minted World Record holder Leon Marchand (France) and his training mates Shaine Casas (USA) and Hubert Kos (Hungary) setting the early pace. The backstroke leg was rapid as well, with Clareburt in seventh position at the halfway mark. Clareburt made his move in his much-improved breaststroke leg, moving into fifth position at the final turn. Whilst Marchand (1:53.68) broke away to claim his first World Championships title of the week ahead of Casas (1:54.30) and Kos (1:55.34), Clareburt motored home in the freestyle leg to finish fifth in the final – recording the second fastest freestyle split of the field. Clareburt's time (1:57.06) is a personal best and breaks his New Zealand record from the Tokyo Olympic Games four years ago. His fifth-place finish is also his best placing at the World Championships level over this distance.

Clareburt was thrilled with the result and to achieve his second personal best in as many events in Singapore.

“Super happy and proud of my team this week. It’s been a wild ride these last few years and PBs unfortunately don’t come as often as they used to. But getting that PB today meant the world to me. Thanks everyone back home for the support!”

Clareburt will return to the competition pool on the final day of racing for the men’s 400m individual medley.

Milana Tapper (St Peter’s & Griffith University) was the other swimmer in action on day five, racing the women’s 100m freestyle heats. Swimming in lane five of the sixth heat, Tapper got away to a good start in the last of the unseeded heats before turning in seventh at halfway. She moved her way through the field to surge forward to touch second in the heat (55.23), recording the second fastest time of her career to place 28th overall.

Tapper has loved the opportunity to represent New Zealand and become an Aquablack.

"This experience has been like no other. I was expecting to produce some better times but I am still so grateful to be here. I'm excited to get back to work for the 2026 season."

Tapper has now completed her campaign in Singapore after racing in the 100m and 200m freestyle.

Results

Other Results for Coaches from New Zealand

We would also like to acknowledge our coaches based in New Zealand who work with athletes representing different federations.

• Horst Miehe coached Mia Laban (Howick Pakuranga representing Cook Islands) to place 51st overall in women’s 100m freestyle (59.95)

• Graham Hill coached Rebecca Meder (North Shore representing South Africa) to place 24th overall in women’s 200m breaststroke (2:28.40)

• Don McKenna coached Jacob Story (Mt Eden representing Cook Islands) to place 33rd overall in men’s 200m breaststroke (2:17.91)

Day Six Preview

Teenager Zoe Pedersen (Coast) and 2014 Commonwealth Games representative Laura Quilter (Coast) will make their first appearance of the championships in the women’s 50m butterfly, with Pedersen making her Aquablack debut. Erika Fairweather (North Shore) and Caitlin Deans (Neptune & Swim Dunedin) will also return to the competition pool for their final event of the championships, the women’s 800m freestyle.

Heats are from 2pm NZST and the finals from 11pm NZST. You can watch the livestream through the World Aquatics Recast platform by purchasing access from the link below.

Watch Here

Upcoming Daily Schedule

*Start times are subject to change, while semi-finals and finals are subject to athlete progression

Friday 1 August

Day Six Heats - from 2pm NZST

• Women's 50m butterfly (Pedersen & Quilter)

• Women's 800m freestyle (Fairweather & Deans)

Day Six Semis/Finals (potential) - from 11pm NZST

• Women's 50m butterfly semi-final (Pedersen* & Quilter*)

Saturday 2 August

Day Seven Heats - from 2pm NZST

• Women's 50m freestyle (Quilter)

• Men's 50m backstroke (Harland & Jeffcoat)

Day Seven Semis/Finals (potential) - from 11pm NZST

• Women's 50m butterfly final (Pedersen* & Quilter*)

• Women's 50m freestyle semi-final (Quilter*)

• Men's 50m backstroke semi-final (Harland* & Jeffcoat*)

• Women's 800m freestyle final (Fairweather* & Deans*)

Sunday 3 August

Day Eight Heats - from 2pm NZST

• Men's 400m individual medley (Clareburt)

Day Eight Semis/Finals (potential) - from 11pm NZST

• Men's 50m backstroke final (Harland* & Jeffcoat*)

• Women's 50m freestyle final (Quilter*)

• Men's 400m individual medley final (Clareburt*)

Entries & Results

Lewis Clareburt

• 200m butterfly (10th overall = 1:55.24 - PB in semi-final, 1:56.35 in heat)

• 200m individual medley (5th overall = 1:57.06 for NZR and PB, 1:57.29 in semi-final, 1:58.19 in heat)

• 400m individual medley (entry time: 4:10.44)

Louis Clark

• Men's 3km knockout open water (39th overall, 19th in 1500m heat = 17:58.4)

Caitlin Deans

• 800m freestyle (entry time: 8:29.32)

• 1500m freestyle (13th overall = 16:13.16)

Erika Fairweather

• 200m freestyle (6th overall = 1:55.61 in final, 1:55.52 in semi-final, 1:56.54 in heat)

• 400m freestyle (disqualified)

• 800m freestyle (entry time: 8:21.67)

Amber George

• 50m backstroke (25th overall = 28.54)

• 100m backstroke (29th overall = 1:02.16)

Finn Harland

• 50m backstroke (entry time: 24.88)

• 100m backstroke (22nd overall = 54.17 - PB)

Andrew Jeffcoat

• 50m backstroke (entry time: 24.89)

Savannah-Eve Martin

• 50m backstroke (29th overall = 28.74)

Zoe Pedersen

• 50m butterfly (entry time: 26.15)

Laura Quilter

• 50m butterfly (entry time: 26.22)

• 50m freestyle (entry time: 25.26)

Milana Tapper

• 100m freestyle (28th overall = 55.23)

• 200m freestyle (21st overall = 1:58.75)

Eve Thomas

• 400m freestyle (14th overall = 4:10.10)

• 1500m freestyle (16th overall = 16:28.10)

Team Selected

The swimmers selected to represent New Zealand:

Name	Aquablack Number	Club	Coach	Role
Lewis Clareburt	257	Club 37	Mitch Nairn	Pool Swimmer
Louis Clark	Debutant	North Shore	Graham Hill	Open Water Swimmer
Caitlin Deans	276	Neptune & Swim Dunedin	Lars Humer	Pool Swimmer
Erika Fairweather	266	North Shore	Graham Hill	Pool Swimmer
Amber George	Debutant	Coast	Michael Weston	Pool Swimmer
Finn Harland	Debutant	Coast	John Gatfield	Pool Swimmer
Andrew Jeffcoat	279	United	Andy McMillan	Pool Swimmer
Savannah-Eve Martin	Debutant	Coast	Michael Weston	Pool Swimmer
Zoe Pedersen	Debutant	Coast	John Gatfield	Pool Swimmer
Laura Quilter	245	Coast	Self Coached, supported by Michael Weston	Pool Swimmer
Milana Tapper	Debutant	St Peter's & Griffith University	Tom Fraser-Holmes	Pool Swimmer
Eve Thomas	270	Coast	Michael Weston	Pool Swimmer

The coaches and support staff selected to guide our Aquablacks are:

Name	Organisation	Role
Graham Hill	Swimming NZ & North Shore	Head Coach
Mitch Nairn	Club 37	Assistant Coach
Michael Weston	Coast	Assistant Coach
Matthew Ingram	HPSNZ	Manager