Fairweather Qualifies for 800m Freestyle Final

Day Six Wrap of the 2025 World Aquatics Championships – Swimming

Erika Fairweather (North Shore) was the headline performer on day six of the 2025 World Aquatics Championships in Singapore, with the two-time Olympian progressing through to the women’s 800m freestyle final as the sixth fastest qualifier.

Fairweather and Caitlin Deans (Neptune & Swim Dunedin) were in the same heat on either side of the pool, with Fairweather in lane two and Deans in lane eight. It was a star-studded heat, with World Record holder Katie Ledecky (USA) and Lani Pallister (Australia) occupying the middle lanes.

The Kiwis had different race tactics from the get-go, with Fairweather getting away to a good start to be third at the first turn and ensure she went with the lead group. Deans built into her race, moving her way through the field to be seventh by the 200m mark. Ledecky and Pallister set the early pace, with Isabel Gose (Germany) and Fairweather a body length behind the lead pair. The leaders stretched out the field gradually each lap, with Ledecky (8:14.62) metronomic in her pace out the front to be the fastest qualifier through to the final, and Pallister (8:17.06) comfortably in second. Deans was locked in a battle with 5km and 10km open water World Champion Moesha Johnson (Australia), with the pair side-by-side through the first 500m, before Deans put the foot down in the final stages to move into sixth place. Gose (8:20.21) pulled away from Fairweather in the second half of the race to be third in the heat, with Fairweather comfortably in fourth (8:22.22). Deans was closing fast to touch sixth in the heat to secure a personal best (8:28.72) and record the fastest final 50m of the field.

Fairweather qualified through to the final as the sixth fastest qualifier, with Deans narrowly missing out on the final to finish tenth overall with her best individual result on the international stage.

Deans was thrilled with her personal best performance.

“I’m absolutely wrapped to come away with a PB, to be so close to making the final is frustrating, but it’s just more motivation for the upcoming season.”

Deans has now finished her Singapore campaign, while Fairweather will compete in the final which is scheduled for 12.17am on Sunday 3 August.

Aquablack debutant Zoe Pedersen (Coast) and 2014 Commonwealth Games representative Laura Quilter both contested the women’s 50m butterfly.

Pedersen was in the second to last of the seeded heats in lane eight. The teenager was up and stroking quickly from the start, looking strong as she made her way down the pool for the first time of her career at a World Aquatics Championships. She couldn’t be split from Iris Berger (Austria) in lane zero, with the pair recording the swim time (26.39) to finish equal seventh in the heat. The 18-year-old finished 24^th overall on debut with the third fastest performance of her career.

Pedersen was stoked to be part of the team in Singapore.

“I’m super happy with what I’ve been able to take away from this team and my swim, watching some of our best swimmers on the world stage has been an incredible opportunity. I’m excited to be able to implement the things I’ve learned from this trip at the World Juniors and have the opportunity to support my junior teammates in a couple of weeks.”

Pedersen has completed her Aquablack campaign in Singapore, but will be one of the leaders of the 2025 World Aquatics Junior Swimming Championships in Romania in a few weeks’ time.

Quilter was in the previous heat, swimming from lane eight. She got away to a good start, with the pace from the middle of the pool pulling ahead at the halfway mark. Quilter achieved the fourth fastest time of her career (26.60) to touch tenth in the heat, 0.20 seconds faster than her current 30 – 34 years Masters World Record she set last year. She placed 29^th overall in the event.

Quilter had mixed emotions immediately after the race, as she represented New Zealand again for the first time in eleven years.

“Seeing the time on the scoreboard was initially gut wrenching. Everything felt great going in and all I wanted was to beat my performance from nationals. On reflection, it’s my fourth fastest time ever. While I came up short of my goal to PB and improve my ranking, I put everything into the race and walk away feeling proud I gave it everything I had.”

Quilter will return for her other event on day seven where she will compete in the women’s 50m 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.

• Sheldon Kemp coached Paige Schendelaar-Kemp (Pukekohe representing Samoa) to 51st overall in the women’s 50m butterfly (28.60)

• Jon Winter coached Kokoro Frost (Otaki Titans representing Samoa) to 70th overall in the men’s 100m butterfly (58.82)

• Andy McMillan coached Eyad Masoud (United representing World Aquatics Refugee Team) to 71st overall in the men’s 100m butterfly (59.01)

Day Seven Preview

Commonwealth Games gold medallist Andrew Jeffcoat (United) makes his return to the international stage on day seven, when he will race in the men’s 50m backstroke alongside Finn Harland (Coast). Laura Quilter will be back for the women’s 50m freestyle. Erika Fairweather will race in the women’s 800m freestyle final in the evening session.

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

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 freestyle semi-final (Quilter*)

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

• Women's 800m freestyle final (Fairweather)

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 (10th overall = 8:28.72 - PB)

• 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 (into final, 8:22.22 in heat)

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 (24th overall = 26.39)

Laura Quilter

• 50m butterfly (29th overall = 26.60)

• 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