Deans Doubles Up on Bronze at World Cup in Tashkent

Competition Wrap – 2026 World Aquatics Swimming World Cup – Stop Two

Photo: @kamilla.khasanova.sport / Uzbekistan Aquatics

Otago’s Caitlin Deans (Neptune & Swim Dunedin) continued her strong form at the second stop of the World Aquatics Swimming World Cup in Tashkent over the weekend, claiming two bronze medals.

Deans, with coach Lars Humer on pool deck this time, opened the weekend with the 400m freestyle, finishing third in 4:01.76. The swim was less than half a second off her time from the opening stop in Baku, and once again saw her go under the qualifying mark for this year’s World Aquatics Swimming Championships (25m).

The 1500m freestyle brought Deans her second medal of the weekend, taking bronze in 15:55.24 and earning another qualifying mark for the championships in Beijing. She also placed sixth in the 200m freestyle, clocking 1:56.33.

The weekend’s performance takes Deans to eight career medals at the World Cup.

Lewis Clareburt (United & Nunawading) also impressed over a busy three days of racing in Uzbekistan.

On the opening day, Clareburt posted 1:53.73 in the heats of the 200m backstroke before withdrawing from the final to focus on the 400m freestyle, where he finished fifth in 3:43.57 in the timed final.

He once again went under the qualifying mark for the World Aquatics Swimming Championships (25m) in both the 200m individual medley (1:53.97) and the 400m individual medley (4:04.26), finishing sixth and fifth respectively. His 200m individual medley performance was just off the national record he set in Baku.

His best finish came in the 200m butterfly, where he placed fourth in 1:53.41, just outside the qualifying mark for Beijing.

Both swimmers now head into the final stop of the series with multiple Beijing qualifying marks in hand, Deans having collected three medals so far and Clareburt having set two national records in Baku.

Stop three will see the New Zealand swimmers race in Astana, Kazakhstan, from 15-17 October.

Full Results - Stop Two

Results by Swimmer

Lewis Clareburt (United / Nunawading) – Aquablack #257

Stop One – Baku

• 200m butterfly – 4th place (final: 1:54.70; heat: 1:55.94)

• 200m freestyle – 7th place (final: 1:44.45; heat: 1:44.64)

• 400m freestyle – 6th place (final: 3:42.38)

• 200m individual medley – 5th place (final 1:53.63 – NZ record; heat: 1:56.03)

• 400m individual medley – 5th place (final: 4:03.02 – NZ record)

Stop Two – Tashkent

• 200m butterfly – 4th place (final: 1:53.41; heat: 1:57.53)

• 200m backstroke – withdrew from final (heat: 1:53.73)

• 400m freestyle – 5th place (final: 3:43.57)

• 200m individual medley – 6th place (final 1:53.97; heat: 1:56.63)

• 400m individual medley – 5th place (final: 4:04.26)

Caitlin Deans (Neptune / Swim Dunedin) – Aquablack #276

Stop One – Baku

• 200m freestyle – 8th place (final: 1:56.03; heat: 1:56.32)

• 400m freestyle – 4th place (final: 4:01.30)

• 800m freestyle – silver medal (final: 8:17.51)

Stop One – Tashkent

• 200m freestyle – 6th place (final: 1:56.33; heat: 1:57.40)

• 400m freestyle – bronze medal (final: 4:01.76)

• 1500m freestyle – bronze medal (final: 15:55.24)