Fairweather, Muchirahondo & Clareburt Star on Day Three
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- 7 min read
Day Three Wrap - 2026 NZ Swimming Championships
Day three of the 2026 New Zealand Swimming Championships delivered another thrilling night of racing at Auckland’s National Aquatic Centre, with national titles, records, and qualifying performances continuing to headline the action.
Lewis Clareburt (United) continue his fine vein of form. Competing in the 200m freestyle at the National Aquatic Centre in Auckland, Clareburt got off to a good start, and settled into his rhythm building a solid lead to clock 1:46.60, his second fastest time ever, and add another national title to his name. Clareburt also went under the Pan Pacific Championships qualification mark.
James Leigh (Coast) took silver, Australian visitor Harvey Larke was third to the wall while Brendan Visser (Coast) bronze for the Kiwis.
In the 17-18 years division Fraser Walker (United) took gold in 1:52.57, ahead of Igor Russanov (Coast) and Daniel Kregting (Roskill).
The women's gruelling 1500m saw Olympians Erika Fairweather (North Shore), Eve Thomas (Coast) and Caitlin Deans (Neptune & Swim Dunedin) battle it out. Fairweather was extremely consistent in her splits, building her lead throughout to comfortably take the win in 15:58.26 and go under the Commonwealth Games qualification time. The performance also marked her first time under the 16-minute barrier.
The real battle was for second place, with Thomas and Deans neck and neck going into the last 50. Thomas touched just ahead in 16:11.20, a fraction ahead of Deans in 16:11.42 with both comfortably going under the Pan Pacific Championships qualification time. 16-year-old Paige Conley (Whanganui) placed 4th in 17:12.30 to go under the qualification time for the Junior Pan Pacific Championships, showcasing the depth coming through in the women’s distance events.
Olivia Emmett (Swim Rotorua) won the 17-18 years age group with a solid time of 17:24.96. Olivia Bates (North Shore) placed second and Kezia Buissinne (North Shore) third.
Up and comer Ariel Muchirahondo (Swim Rotorua) showed why he’s an exciting prospect as he contested the men’s 200m backstroke. Paris Olympian Kane Follows (Neptune & Swim Dunedin) took a small lead through the first 100m, before 17-year-old Muchirahondo pushed ahead, helped by great underwaters. Muchirahondo touched the wall in 1:59.07 to take the win, set a New Zealand 17 years record, and go under the qualification time for the Junior Pan Pacific Championships. The performance was also under the development standard for the Pan Pacific Championships.
Follows took silver and Sam Poching (North Shore) bronze. Australia's Josh Edwards-Smith took visitor bronze.
In the 17-18 years division Muchirahondo was joined on the podium by Lucas Bell (Wharenui) in silver and Mitch Ellis (Liz van Welie) in bronze.
Earlier in the day, Luka Willems (Wharenui) broke the S18 New Zealand record in the 200m backstroke with his time of 4:11.65 in the heats.
In the women’s 100m freestyle, race favourite Chelsey Edwards (North Shore) quickly made her way to the front of the field, leading from start to finish to claim the national title in 55.38. Australian visitor Jade Starr took visitor silver, while Milan Glintmeyer (Coast) continued her impressive week, placing second for the Kiwis, with Zoe Pedersen (Coast) rounding out the podium.
The 17-18 year age group was won by Glintmeyer in 56.25 with the time under the qualification mark for the Junior Pan Pacific Championships. Tribeca Liu was the second fastest, claiming visitor silver, while Alyssa Tapper (St Peters) placed second for the Kiwis and Olivia Emmett (Swim Rotorua) third.
In the men’s 400m freestyle multi class Thomas Magill (S19 - Papamoa) took the Kiwi gold in 4:45.16 to set a New Zealand record. David Beck (S14 - United) took the Kiwi silver and James Haydon (S14 - United) the bronze. Australian visitor Daniel Rigby (S9) won visitor gold.
The women’s version of the same event was won by Chloe Gladwin (S19 - Whakatane) who collected the national title in a New Zealand record time of 4:49.97. Lili-Fox Mason (S10 - Wharenui) placed second and Brooke Anderson (S7 - Wharenui) third.
Hara Hughes (Coast) showcased his skills in the 50m breaststroke. Hughes was particularly strong through the middle of the race to defend his national title in 28.28. Caleb Carlisle (Napier Aquahawks) was just .2 of a second behind to take silver and Blair Helms (North Shore) placed third.
Elwin Bao (North Shore) won the 17-18 year age group in 29.25, ahead of Roman Anderson (Tawa) and Rylind Wheeler (North Canterbury).
The men’s 50m backstroke multi class saw Paralympian Cameron Leslie (S4 - Whangarei) in the pool for the first time at the event. Leslie showcased his class, comfortably swimming under the Para Pan Pacific Championships qualification time to take the Kiwi gold in 44.34. David Beck placed second and Ian Chen (S19, St Pauls) third. Australian Declan Budd (S14) took visitor gold, while Japan's Eigo Tanaka (S5) won visitor bronze. Earlier in the day, Jack McMillan (Greendale) broke the S18 New Zealand record with his heats time of 47.42.
The women’s version of the same event saw Melissa Donoghue (S18 - Hamilton Aquatics) execute a strong swim to touch the wall in 53.51, after setting her New Zealand record earlier in the day. Brooke Anderson (S7 - Wharenui) won the Kiwi silver and Greer Holland (S19 - Zenith) bronze. Australians Madeleine McTernan (S14) and Gemma Sellick (S9) took visitor gold and silver, respectively. Melissa Donoghue (Hamilton Aquatics) reset the S18 New Zealand record in the heats with her time of 53.37.
Hazel Ouwehand (Phoenix Aquatics) got off to an fast start in the women’s 100m butterfly and was particularly strong over the first 50m. The Olympian touching the wall in 58.00 to go under the Pan Pacific Championships qualification time. Zoe Pedersen (Coast) placed second. Milan Glintmeyer (Coast) took bronze, with her time of 1:00.27 going under the Junior Pan Pacific Championships qualification mark and seeing her win the 17-18 years division.
Australia's Alice Monaghan won visitor silver in the 17-18 years age group, with Xanthe Miller (United) placed second amongst the Kiwis and Freya Hingston (United) third.
The 50m women’s butterfly multi class saw Chloe Gladwin set her second S19 New Zealand record of the evening. Gladwin was in fine form, clocking 31.77 to take the win. Rylee Sayer (S7 - Hamilton Aquatics) was second, swimming well to touch the wall in 35.89 and go under the Para Pan Pacific Championships qualification mark – just outside of Nikita Howarth's national record. Gaby Smith (S10 - Wharenui) won bronze. Aimee Van Aardt (S18 - Pukekohe) also set a New Zealand record with a time of 52.85.
The men’s version of the same event was won by Asher Smith-Franklin (S14, Coast) in 26.57. Daniel Smith (S19, Pukekohe) placed second, setting an S19 New Zealand record in 26.69. Ian Chen placed third behind Australian visitor Darren Sisman. Matthew Kofoed set an new S18 New Zealand record earlier in the day, with his time of 44.13.
The men’s 4x200m freestyle relay closed out the evening, with the Coast Swim Club A quartet of Liam Curling, James Leigh, Larn Hamblyn-Ough and Igor Russanov taking a dominant win in 7:29.00. Coast's B team took silver, while North Shore A rounded out the podium
Competition Details
Heats will be held from 9am each morning, with finals held in the evening from 6pm. Whilst there is no better place to watch the racing than live from in the grandstands, all sessions of the championships will be available live and free on the Swimming NZ YouTube channel.
Dates: 13 - 17 May
Location: Sir Owen G Glenn National Aquatic Centre, Auckland
Heats Start: 8.55am (livestream), 9am (racing)
Finals Start: 5.50pm (livestream), 6pm (racing)
We also welcome back the Legends Relay on Saturday night, where our Kiwi favourites return to the pool and raise money for the NZ Swimming Trust who help support of next wave of swimmers.
Day Previews
Each day of competition has must watch races. An overview of each day has been provided below.
Day Four - Saturday 16 May
Events:
Legends Relay
Men's 200m butterfly
Women's 400m individual medley
Men's & women's 50m breaststroke – multi-class
Women's 50m backstroke
Men's 100m freestyle
Women's & men's 100m freestyle – multi-class
Women's 50m breaststroke
Men's 800m freestyle
Women's 4x200m freestyle relay
Some of the key races to watch include:
Ariel Muchirahondo (Swim Rotorua) is set to lead the field in the men's 200m butterfly, while Gina McCarthy (Hamilton Aquatics) will be the one to watch in the women's 400m individual medley.
Coast duo Amber George and Savannah-Eve Martin will battle it out in the women's 50m backstroke after making their Aquablack debuts last year and now targeting the Commonwealth Games standard.
The men's 100m freestyle is sure to be an action-packed showcase, featuring Olympians Lewis Clareburt and Cameron Gray (United), Aquablacks Carter Swift (United) and Michael Pickett (United), as well as up-and-coming sprinter Harrison Klouwens.
In the multi-class events, Rylee Sayer and Cameron Leslie (Whangarei) lead the New Zealand swimmers in the 100m freestyle.
Day Five - Sunday 17 May
Events:
Men's 400m individual medley
Women's 200m individual medley
Men's & women's 200m individual medley – multi-class
Men's 50m butterfly
Women's 50m freestyle
Men's & women's 50m freestyle – multi-class
Men's 200m breaststroke
Women's 800m freestyle
Women's 200m breaststroke
Men's 100m backstroke
Mixed 4x100m medley relay – multi-class
Women's 4x100m medley relay
Men's 4x100m medley relay
Some of the key races to watch include:
Lewis Clareburt (United) and Ariel Muchirahondo (Swim Rotorua) meet for the second time during the week in the men's 400m individual medley.
Cameron Leslie (Whangarei) lines up against 14-time Paralympic medallist Takayuki Suzuki of Japan in the men's 50m freestyle — one of the week's most anticipated match-ups. The pair are separated by less than half a second on entry times and stood on the podium together in Singapore last year.
Aquablack Rylee Sayer (Hamilton Aquatics) rounds out her week with the multi-class 50m freestyle after breaking the S7 New Zealand record twice in the sprint event at the recent Australian Open.
Commonwealth Games medallist Cameron Gray (United) will be looking for a strong performance in the men's 50m butterfly, while Chelsey Edwards (North Shore) will be the one to watch in the women's 50m freestyle.
The women's 800m freestyle sees Olympians Erika Fairweather (North Shore), Caitlin Deans (Neptune & Swim Dunedin), and Eve Thomas (Coast) battle it out one final time across the week's distance programme.
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