2026 NZL Championships: Look Out For Clareburt & Fairweather

2026 NEW ZEALAND SWIMMING CHAMPIONSHIPS

• Wednesday, May 13th – Sunday, May 17th
• Sir Owen G. Glenn National Aquatic Centre
• LCM (50m)
• Meet Central
• Results
• Livestream

The 2026 New Zealand Swimming Championships kicked off today, Wednesday, May 13th, at the Sir Owen G. Glenn National Aquatic Centre, with multiple national record holders in the pool to vie for spots on the nation’s Commonwealth Games roster.

More than 425 swimmers are taking to the long course pool in the hopes of making the lineup, with day one highlighted by a solid performance by Olympian and world champion Erika Fairweather.

Racing in the final of the women’s 400m free, Fairweather stopped the clock at 4:01.42 for the dominant victory.

The next-closest competitor was represented by Eve Thomas, who hit 4:06.85 as the runner-up, followed by Cailtin Deans, who rounded out the podium in 4:07.78.

As for Fairweather, her 4:01.42 outing tonight checked in as the 7th-best outing of her career, one which boasts a lifetime best of 3:59.44 from when she reaped gold at the 2024 World Championships in Doha.

Her time this evening logs a new season-best, erasing the 4:02.09 clocked last month at the Australian Open. She now ranks as the 5th-quickest performer on the planet at the moment.

Olympian and Commonwealth Games champion Lewis Clareburt was also in the water tonight, with the 26-year-old topping the men’s 200m IM podium.

Clareburt reaped gold in a time of 1:57.65 to represent the sole competitor to delve under the 2:00 barrier.

Ariel Muchirahondo was next to the wall in 2:00.12, followed by Liam Rees who bagged the bronze 2:07.23.

As for Clareburt, his swim this evening checks in as the 9th-quickest of his illustrious career, one which boasts a personal best of 1:57.06 from finishing in 5th place at the 2025 World Championships.

Clareburt now ranks 12th in the world in the men’s 2IM event.

Additional Notes

• National record holder Hazel Ouwehand delivered the decisive victory in the women’s 50m fly, notching the sole time of the pacek under the 26-second barrier. Ouwehand hit 25.55 for the victory, registering the 2nd-best time of her career. Her PB remains at the 25.43 put on the books at last year’s edition of this competition. She now ties three-time Olympian Rikako Ikee of Japan to rank as the 4th-best female performer this season.