Tough Opening Day in Singapore

Day One Wrap of the 2025 World Aquatics Championships – Swimming

The opening day of the pool competition at the 2025 World Aquatics Championships got underway with Erika Fairweather (North Shore) and Eve Thomas (Coast) opening their campaigns in the 400m freestyle.

Thomas was in lane one of the fourth and final heat, up against the World Record holder Summer McIntosh (Canada). Thomas was back from the pace of Lani Pallister (Australia) and McIntosh in the middle lanes throughout the race. However, Thomas had a strong last lap and well-timed touch on the wall to be sixth in heat (4:10.10). Thomas finished 14^th overall.

Thomas will return to the pool on day two for the 1500m freestyle, where she will be joined by Caitlin Deans (Neptune & Swim Dunedin).

Fairweather lined up in the third heat of the 400m freestyle in lane three alongside Katie Ledecky (USA). Ledecky set a fast pace and pulled away from the first turn, with Fairweather and Li Bingjie (China) matching stroke for stroke for most of the race. Fairweather ended up touching fourth in the heat (4:03.39), before it was unfortunately announced that the reigning World Champion was disqualified for an early movement on the blocks.

Fairweather will return to the competition pool on day three for the 200m freestyle, where she will be joined by Milana Tapper (St Peter’s & Griffith University), who will make her Aquablack debut.

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

• Graham Hill-coached Rebecca Meder (North Shore, representing South Africa – 2:11.05) placed 10^th in the 200m individual medley

• Horst Miehe-coached Mia Laban (Howick Pakuranga, representing Cook Islands – 1:05.41) placed 49^th in the 100m butterfly

• Don McKenna-coached Jacob Story (Mt Eden, representing Cook Islands – 1:02.93) placed 47^th in the 100m breaststroke

Day Two Preview

Two debutants will make their first Aquablack appearance on day two, with Amber George (Coast) and Finn Harland (Coast & Stanford University) both in the 100m backstroke. Thomas and Deans will also take on the 1500m freestyle heats.

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

Monday 28 July

Day Two Heats – from 2pm NZST

• Women’s 1500m freestyle (Deans & Thomas)

• Women’s 100m backstroke (George)

• Men’s 100m backstroke (Harland)

Day Two Semis/Finals (potential) – from 11pm NZST

• Women’s 100m backstroke semi-final (George*)

• Men’s 100m backstroke semi-final (Harland*)

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 1500m freestyle final (Deans* & Thomas*)

• Women’s 100m backstroke final (George*)

• Men’s 100m backstroke final (Harland*)

• 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 (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 (entry time: 16:12.18)

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 (entry time: 1:00.84)

Finn Harland

• 50m backstroke (entry time: 24.88)

• 100m backstroke (entry time: 54.74)

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 (16:07.46)

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