Fairweather Claims Third Bronze on Final Night of Pan Pacific Champs

Day Four Wrap – 2026 Pan Pacific Swimming Championships

It was a strong finish to the 2026 Pan Pacific Swimming Championships for New Zealand, with Erika Fairweather claiming her third bronze medal of the meet as the Kiwi team wrapped up a successful week of racing in Irvine.

Erika Fairweather (North Shore – coached by Graham Hill) continued her fine form to claim her third medal of the meet, winning bronze in the women's 800m freestyle. The result equals Lauren Boyle's record for the most individual medals won by a New Zealand swimmer at a single Pan Pacific Swimming Championships, which Boyle achieved in 2014.

Fairweather produced a strong swim, reaching the 400m mark in 4:07.27 before being challenged by USA's Katie Grimes in the closing stages. The 22-year-old held her nerve, edging ahead at the finish to take bronze in 8:18.81, with the margin between third and fourth just 0.29 seconds.

Fairweather's time was the second fastest of her career, and just over a second outside of Boyle's national record.

Also in the 800m freestyle, Caitlin Deans (Neptune / Swim Dunedin – coached by Lars Humer) set a new personal best of 8:26.21 to place seventh – following a strong performance in the morning heats to lower her previous best by over two seconds and record the fastest time of the morning.

Eve Thomas (Coast – coached by Michael Weston) clocked 8:38.00 for 16th place, while 19-year-old Alyssa Tapper (St Peter's / Griffith University – coached by Tommy Fraser-Holmes) lowered her personal best to place 18th in 8:42.00.

Lewis Clareburt (United / Nunawading – coached by Jol Finck) placed seventh in the men's 200m individual medley, clocking 1:58.12 to round out his busy week in Irvine.

Harrison Klouwens (United – coached by Mitch Nairn) was in action for the first time this week, clocking 22.42 en route to placing third in the B final of the men's 50m freestyle. Joining him was Cameron Gray (United – coached by Andy McMillan), who finished in 22.59 to place fifth in the B final.

In the women's event, Chelsey Edwards (North Shore – coached by Graham Hill) put in a strong effort to place fifth in the B final, clocking 25.14 – less than two tenths of a second outside of her own national record.

Earlier in the heats, Zoe Pedersen (Coast – coached by Michael Weston) clocked 25.64 in the 50m freestyle for 23rd place. Zac Dell (United / Brisbane Grammar – coached by Bobby Jovanovich) placed 28th in 23.05.

The team rounded out the championships with three bronze medals for Fairweather, along with two New Zealand open records, two New Zealand age records and plenty of valuable international racing experience.

Full Results

Livestream

Results by Swimmer

Lewis Clareburt

• Men's 200m freestyle – 3rd place in B final (B final: 1:46.47; heat: 1:47.41)

• Men's 400m individual medley – 6th place in A final (A final: 4:09.86; heat: 4:13.33)

• Men's 4x200m freestyle – 6th place (final: 7:18.25)

• Men's 400m freestyle – scratched from B final (heat: 3:53.74)

• Men's 4x100m freestyle – 5th place (final: 3:17.99)

• Men's 200m individual medley – 7th place in A final (A final: 1:58.12; heat: 1:59.47)

Caitlin Deans

• Women's 1500m freestyle – 5th place (timed final: 16:07.44 – PB)

• Women's 800m freestyle – 7th place (timed final: 8:26.21 – PB)

Zac Dell

• Men's 100m backstroke – 8th place in B final (B final: 56.65; heat: 54.78)

• Men's 100m freestyle – 30th place (heat: 49.71 – PB)

• Men's 4x200m freestyle – 6th place (final: 7:18.25)

• Men's 4x100m freestyle – 5th place (final: 3:17.99)

• Men's 50m freestyle – 28th place (heat: 23.05)

Chelsey Edwards

• Women's 100m freestyle – 4th place in B final (B final: 54.82; swim-off: 54.47 – PB; heat: 54.66 – PB)

• Women's 4x100m freestyle – 4th place (final: 3:38.38 – NZ record)

• Women's 50m freestyle – 5th place in B final (B final: 25.14; heat: 25.24)

Erika Fairweather

• Women's 200m freestyle – bronze medal (A final: 1:55.05 – NZ record; heat: 1:55.53)

• Women's 400m freestyle – bronze medal (A final: 4:02.35; heat: 4:04.50)

• Women's 4x100m freestyle – 4th place (final: 3:38.38 – NZ record)

• Women's 800m freestyle – bronze medal (timed final: 8:18.81)

Amber George

• Women's 100m backstroke – 7th place in B final (B final: 1:01.32; heat: 1:01.42)

• Women's 50m backstroke – 7th place in A final (A final: 28.15; heat: 28.11)

Milan Glintmeyer

• Women's 100m backstroke – 3rd place in B final (B final: 1:00.74; heat: 1:00.34 – 18 years NZR)

• Women's 50m backstroke – 5th place in B final (B final: 28.25 – 18 years NZR; heat: 28.49)

• Women's 200m backstroke – scratched from B final (heat: 2:15.43)

• Women's 4x100m freestyle – 4th place (final: 3:38.38 – NZ record)

Cameron Gray

• Men's 50m butterfly – 7th place in B final (B final: 24.10; heat: 24.04)

• Men's 100m freestyle – 8th place in B final (B final: 50.19; heat: 49.08)

• Men's 4x200m freestyle – 6th place (final: 7:18.25)

• Men's 4x100m freestyle – 5th place (final: 3:17.99)

• Men's 50m freestyle – 5th place in B final (B final: 22.59; heat: 22.82)

James Leigh

• Men's 200m freestyle – 33rd place (heat: 1:49.95)

• Men's 4x200m freestyle – 6th place (final: 7:18.25)

• Men's 400m freestyle – 8th place in B final (B final: 3:54.33; heat: 3:54.66)

• Men's 4x100m freestyle – 5th place (final: 3:17.99)

Savannah-Eve Martin

• Women's 100m backstroke – 23rd place (heat: 1:02.41)

• Women's 50m backstroke – 3rd place in B final (B final: 27.97 – PB; heat: 28.32)

Hazel Ouwehand

• Women's 50m butterfly – 1st place in B final (B final: 26.13; heat: 26.72)

• Women's 100m butterfly – 8th place in A final (A final: 59.87; heat: 58.77)

Zoe Pedersen

• Women's 50m butterfly – 7th place in A final (A final: 26.45; heat: 26.62)

• Women's 100m freestyle – 30th place (heat: 55.57)

• Women's 4x100m freestyle – 4th place (final: 3:38.38 – NZ record)

• Women's 50m freestyle – 23rd place (heat: 25.64)

Alyssa Tapper

• Women's 200m freestyle – 37th place (heat: 2:02.34)

• Women's 400m freestyle – 21st place (heat: 4:13.55 – PB)

• Women's 800m freestyle – 18th place (timed final: 8:42.00 – PB)

Eve Thomas

• Women's 200m freestyle – 27th place (heat: 1:59.78)

• Women's 400m freestyle – 17th place (heat: 4:12.12)

• Women's 800m freestyle – 16th place (timed final: 8:38.00)

New Zealand Team

Name	Organisation	Role
Graham Hill	Swimming NZ & North Shore	Head Coach
Andy McMillan	United	Assistant Coach
Michael Weston	Coast	Assistant Coach
Monique Williams	North Shore	Team Manager

Name	Club	Coach
Lewis Clareburt	United	Jol Finck (Nunawading)
Caitlin Deans	Neptune & Swim Dunedin	Lars Humer
Zac Dell	United	Bobby Jovanovich (Brisbane Grammar)
Chelsey Edwards	North Shore	Graham Hill
Erika Fairweather	North Shore	Graham Hill
Amber George	Coast	Michael Weston
Milan Glintmeyer	Coast	Michael Weston
Cameron Gray	United	Andy McMillan
Harrison Klouwens	United	Mitch Nairn
James Leigh	Coast	James Boyce (Marist)
Savannah-Eve Martin	Coast	Michael Weston
Hazel Ouwehand	Phoenix Aquatics	David Lyles
Zoe Pedersen	Coast	Michael Weston
Alyssa Tapper	St Peter's	Tommy Fraser-Holmes (Griffith University)
Eve Thomas	Coast	Michael Weston