Deans Leads the Way on Day Two

Day Two Wrap of the 2025 World Aquatics Championships – Swimming

Four New Zealand swimmers competed on day two of the pool swimming in Singapore at the 2025 World Aquatics Championships, including Aquablack debutants Finn Harland (Coast & Stanford University) and Amber George (Coast).

Caitlin Deans (Neptune & Swim Dunedin) continued her strong form from when she qualified at the 2025 Apollo Projects NZ Swimming Championships, racing the women’s 1500m freestyle. Swimming in the second heat from lane eight, Deans settled into her pace early in fifth place whilst Lani Pallister (Australia) controlled the heat from start to finish. Deans hit the 500m wall in 5:19.97, and then 10:47.08 at the 1000m mark. Ichika Kajimoto (Japan) and Jillian Cox (USA) challenged in the final third of the race, helping spur Deans on to increase the pace over the final 500m to touch seventh in the heat (16:13.16), the second-best time of her career and her best on the international stage.

Deans was thrilled with her performance in the 1500m where she placed 13th overall.

“I’m really happy with my performance today, it’s always a lot of fun racing on the big stage, and it’s just made me more excited to get stuck into the 800m later this week.”

Deans will be back in action on day seven as she races the 800m freestyle for the first time internationally as an Aquablack alongside Erika Fairweather (North Shore).

Eve Thomas (Coast) was the other Kiwi in action in the women’s 1500m freestyle. Katie Ledecky (USA) set about dominating the field from the start as Thomas got away well to be fifth at the first of 29 turns. Chinese teammates Li Bingjie and Peiqi Yang moved past in the fourth 100m, leaving Thomas to swim her own race for the most part. A late challenge came in the closing stages from Viktoria Mihalyvari-Farkas (Hungary), with Thomas getting out-touched in the final sprint to the wall finish eighth in the heat. The result (16:28.10) was outside of her best, with Thomas placing 16th overall to round out her championships after two events in as many days of competition.

Finn Harland produced a personal best in his first international appearance as a senior, having tasted international racing at the 2023 World Aquatics Junior Swimming Championships as he progressed through the age groups. Racing from lane one in the third heat of the men’s 100m backstroke, Harland got off to a good start and moved his way into fourth at the turn. A strong underwater off the turn helped him move through the field, before finishing well to win the third of six heats. Harland achieved a personal best time (54.17), finishing 22nd overall in the event.

Harland was pleased with his performance on debut.

“Pretty stoked with the debut swim. Good to get a swim in before we go for the 50m on Saturday.”

Harland will return to the competition pool on day seven for his favoured 50m backstroke, where he will be joined by Commonwealth Games gold medallist Andrew Jeffcoat.

Amber George was the first Kiwi to race on day two, taking on the women’s 100m backstroke in her first outing for New Zealand on the international stage. George raced from lane eight of the final heat, facing World Record holder Regan Smith (USA) who easily the win in the heat to progress through. George was equal ninth at the turn, before coming home with her sixth-best career performance (1:02.16) to touch tenth in the heat. George placed 29th overall.

George will be back in action in the 50m backstroke on day four.

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

• Jon Winter-coached Kokoro Frost (Otaki Titans, representing Samoa – 1:02.15) placed in 57th overall in the 100m backstroke

• Graham Hill-coached Rebecca Meder (North Shore, representing South Africa – 1:07.50) placed 27th overall in the 100m breaststroke

Day Two Preview

Erika Fairweather will be back in action in the women’s 200m freestyle, where she will be joined by Aquablack debutant Milana Tapper (St Peter’s & Griffith University). Lewis Clareburt (Club 37) will also make his first appearance at these World Aquatics Championships in the men’s 200m butterfly.

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

Tuesday 29 July

Day Three Heats – from 2pm NZST

• Women's 200m freestyle (Fairweather & Tapper)

• Men's 200m butterfly (Clareburt)

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

• Women's 200m freestyle semi-final (Fairweather* & Tapper*)

• Men's 200m butterfly semi-final (Clareburt*)

Wednesday 30 July

Day Four Heats - from 2pm NZST

• Women's 50m backstroke (George & Martin)

• Men's 200m individual medley (Clareburt)

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

• Women's 200m freestyle final (Fairweather* & Tapper*)

• Women's 50m backstroke semi-final (George* & Martin*)

• Men's 200m butterfly final (Clareburt*)

• Men's 200m individual medley semi-final (Clareburt*)

Thursday 31 July

Day Five Heats - from 2pm NZST

• Women's 100m freestyle (Tapper)

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

• Women's 100m freestyle semi-final (Tapper*)

• Men's 200m individual medley final (Clareburt*)

• Women's 50m backstroke final (George* & Martin*)

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 100m freestyle final (Tapper*)

• 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 (entry time: 1:57.06)

• 200m individual medley (entry time: 1:57.36)

• 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 (entry time: 1:55.45)

• 400m freestyle (disqualified)

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

Amber George

• 50m backstroke (entry time: 27.92)

• 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 (entry time: 28.15)

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 (entry time: 54.94)

• 200m freestyle (entry time: 1:57.95)

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