NZ Swimmers Ready to Light Up Glasgow

3 hours ago
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Updated: 2 hours ago

Competition Preview – Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games

New Zealand's team of 13 swimmers, three coaches and two support staff has arrived in Glasgow after completing preparation camps in Stirling and Pesaro, with racing at the Commonwealth Games set to get underway on Friday 24 July.

The team will be led by four-time Commonwealth Games medallist, Lewis Clareburt (United – coached by Jol Finck), who is set to compete at his third Commonwealth Games in Glasgow.

Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games champion Joshua Willmer (Coast – coached by Michael Weston) returns to his second Games, while Cameron Gray (United – coached by Andy McMillan) is the third returning medallist from Birmingham – after winning bronze in the 50m butterfly at the Games four years ago as an 18-year-old.

Multiple world championships medallist Erika Fairweather (North Shore – coached by Graham Hill) returns for her second Games, alongside Birmingham 2022 team mates Hazel Ouwehand (Phoenix – coached by David Lyles) and Eve Thomas (Coast – coached by Michael Weston).

2025 World Junior champion, Zoe Pedersen (Coast – coached by Michael Weston) will be the youngest member of the swim team, competing at her first Games at just 19 years old. She is joined by fellow Coast team mates Amber George and Savannah-Eve Martin competing at their first Commonwealth Games in Glasgow. Caitlin Deans (Neptune & Swim Dunedin – coached by Lars Humer), Chelsey Edwards (North Shore – coached by Graham Hill), Carter Swift (United – coached by Tommy Fraser-Holmes) and Milana Tapper (St Peter's – Tommy Fraser-Holmes) will also compete at their first Commonwealth Games.

After final preparations in Europe, the team has now turned its focus to competition in Glasgow.

The team has settled into the Athlete's Village ahead of racing getting underway on Friday 24 July (from 9:30pm NZST). The team was welcomed to the village by their fellow New Zealand team members, and performed Pou Tangata, the haka of the New Zealand team, with Hazel Ouwehand leading the haka in a moving performance.

Games debutant, Milana Tapper, expressed her excitement to be part of the New Zealand team ahead of racing kicking off in Glasgow.

"It's now getting really exciting and switching into that competition mode. The swim team vibe has been pretty good so far. We've had a couple of training camps together coming into the Games, so we're feeling like one big team now."

Erika Fairweather is eager to put her preparations to the test in Glasgow.

"I’m feeling really confident going into Glasgow. It's been a big year so far with training and it'll be really nice to see that training come to fruition and put down some good racing performances."

The Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games kick starts with the opening ceremony on Friday morning (NZ time). Racing in the pool is set to begin on Friday 24 July at 9:30pm NZST, beginning with day one heats. All heats sessions are scheduled to start at 9:30pm NZST, with finals sessions due to start at 6:00am NZST the following morning.

50m and 100m events will feature heats, semi-finals (top 16) and a final (top eight). The individual 200m and 400m races will consist of heats and a final, while the 800m and 1500m events will be contested as timed finals, with the fastest heat scheduled during the finals session. The women's 4x200m freestyle final is a straight final, while the mixed 4x100m freestyle relay will have a heat and final.

Check out the daily schedule of our Kiwi swimmers below.

Day One