It was only one podium step away from four silvers in one Games for swimmer Erika Fairweather at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow.
The swimming programme concluded this morning. While not close to the gold medal haul of five in 2022 at Birmingham, with two golds and the haul of lesser medals it was one of the most successful results for a New Zealand swim team.
More than half of the 13-member team will return with 10 medals, with all making finals.
Notably, Erika Fairweather became the first New Zealand female in any sport to win five medals at one Commonwealth Games; three silver medals 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.
The now Auckland-based Fairweather and her 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 events, 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.
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 competed 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 after initially declining to give them permission to 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 to place on any podium since 2010.
Deans’ 1500m time of 16:08.02 seconds 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 may also have placed sixth in the 400m freestyle (4.09.45 seconds) but will still have to swim 1.5 seconds 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. In the final moments you’re just putting your head down, pushing hard and trying to get every last inch out of your touch,” Ouwehand says.
“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. Walking out with people you have watched at the Olympics for years, and swimming between two of them,” she said in between finals. “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 Olympic Games.
Attention now turns to the Pan Pacific championships which start on August 12 in Los Angeles, where swimmers 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. Hazel Ouwehand was eighth in the 100m butterfly. Joshua Willmer won silver in the SB9 100m breaststroke.
