Kiwi swimmers make Glasgow a historic standout

Dave Crampton for LockerRoom

It was only one podium step away from four individual silvers in one Games for swimmer Erika Fairweather at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow.

The swimming programme concluded this morning, with two golds and eight other medals for Kiwi swimmers. While not close to the gold medal haul of five in 2022 at Birmingham, it was one of the most successful results for a New Zealand swim team.

All 13 members of the team made finals.

Notably, Erika Fairweather became the first New Zealand female in any sport to win five medals at one Commonwealth Games: three silvers and two bronzes.

While it might have been cold in the early mornings in Aotearoa, there was plenty of fair weather in Glasgow with the 22-year-old competing in the 800m freestyle for her fifth Commonwealth Games medal. Only Danyon Loader, in 1994, had previously won five at one Games. Two were in relays. Both swimmers initially trained at the Moana Pool in Dunedin.

Fairweather, now based in Auckland, and coach Graham Hill had targeted five medals, to get half the swimming team’s Glasgow target of 10; one more than in 2022.

“We came up with a goal of collecting as many as possible, so to walk away with five is insane. It’s so special to be likened to a legend like [Loader],” Fairweather says.

The only other Kiwi swimmer with four medals in individual events at one Games is Rebecca Perrott, in 1978.

Fairweather had made tough New Zealand qualifying marks in four individual events, going on to win silver medals in the 400m, 1500m and, on Wednesday, the 800m freestyle, each behind Australian Lani Pallister, one of the world’s top swimmers. Fairweather also secured bronze in the 200m freestyle and the women’s 4x200m freestyle relay.

Fairweather is the first Kiwi woman to win five medals at one Games. Photo / Getty Images

They were her first Commonwealth Games medals after her highest placing of fourth four years ago in Birmingham.

This year, the 1500m freestyle was on offer for women for the first time, as is the final for the mile tomorrow in athletics, but the event is so new to Fairweather’s roster that it was the first time she had swum it in a 50m pool outside New Zealand. Getting a medal on her long-course international pinnacle debut in an event that is not one of her favourites is impressive.

“Going under 16 minutes again and coming away with another silver medal is something I’m really proud of,” she says. “It’s a new event for me. I was just concentrating on staying consistent with my splits. I’m very pleased to get this result.”

Caitlin Deans and Eve Thomas also competed in the finals in the three longer freestyle events after Swimming New Zealand did an about-turn. It initially declined to let them swim the 1500m, to rest the swimmers before the women’s 4x200m freestyle relay the following day. Deans placed a creditable fourth in the 800m and fifth in the 1500m in a lifetime best. Thomas’ top individual placing was seventh in the 800m.

They didn’t need a rest. Despite two placings in the top five in the 1500m, Fairweather, Deans and Thomas, with Milana Tapper, broke the New Zealand relay record by more than a second, becoming the first New Zealand swimming relay team to place on any podium since 2010.

Deans’ 1500m time of 16m 8.02s would have got her selected outright by the New Zealand Olympic Committee had she done that at trials, instead of having to secure permission to compete from Swimming New Zealand after falling short of tough qualifying standards.

Deans also placed sixth in the 400m freestyle (4m 9.45s) but will have to swim 1.5s quicker just to qualify for the 2028 Olympics.

While six other swimmers were able to swim individual events in Glasgow by virtue of being selected for a relay, that’s not permitted at the 2028 Olympics.

But the 50m butterfly now is, and two New Zealanders were in that final. National record holder Hazel Ouwehand, 26, got her first senior international medal after swimming for 20 years. Swimming quicker than the gold medal-winning performance at Birmingham, she won bronze, with junior world champion Zoe Pedersen placing a creditable fifth.

“I’m really glad to bring a medal home for New Zealand. I’m really, really, happy,” Ouwehand said. “In the final moments you’re just putting your head down, pushing hard and trying to get every last inch out of your touch.

“It’s my first massive international medal ever.”

It was a first senior international final for both, with Pedersen making her Commonwealth Games debut swimming with world record holders either side of her after being nominated on the back of her winning performance at World Juniors last year. The youngest in the swimming team, she turned 19 three months ago.

“It’s still a bit surreal to be swimming at a Comm Games,” she said. “Walking out with people you have watched at the Olympics for years, and swimming between two of them. I have to pinch myself.”

Australian-based Lewis Clareburt, the sole gold medallist, became the first New Zealand swimmer to successfully defend two Commonwealth Games titles, getting the “double double” in the 400m individual medley and 200m butterfly.

He also won a silver medal in the 200m individual medley in a New Zealand record, joining para swimmer Sophie Pascoe as the only Kiwis to win medals across three consecutive Commonwealth Games. But like Deans in the 1500m, Clareburt will have to swim quicker in the 200m butterfly just to meet the qualifying standard for the 2028 Olympics.

Attention now turns to the Pan Pacific championships, which start on August 12 in Los Angeles, where the Kiwis will be up against top American and Japanese swimmers. Fairweather is looking to raise her performances a notch in a tougher competition after a reset.

“We’ve been chasing medals this week; getting a competitive edge will be the next step, but I can really do with a sleep-in; that’s on the cards for tonight,” she said after her final event.

Other highlights this week were Amber George and Savannah-Eve Martin placing sixth and seventh respectively in the 50m backstroke, and relay swimmer Chesley Edwards placed seventh in the 50m freestyle. Ouwehand was eighth in the 100m butterfly. Joshua Willmer won silver in the SB9 100m breaststroke.

This story was originally published at Newsroom.co.nz and is republished with permission.