Commonwealth Games 2026: Fairweather and Clareburt lead New Zealand swimming team
New Zealand’s Erika Fairweather celebrates winning the final of the women’s 400m freestyle swimming event during the 2024 World Aquatics Championships in Doha.
Photo: AFP
Former world champions Erika Fairweather and Lewis Clareburt will spearhead New Zealand’s hopes in the pool at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow next month.
The pair were named in New Zealand’s 13-strong swimming team for the event, with five swimmers set to make their Commonwealth Games debut.
Fairweather heads to Scotland after another standout season. The 21-year-old made history in 2024 when she became New Zealand’s first swimming world champion in more than a decade, winning the 400m Freestyle at the World Aquatics Championships in Doha.
Since then she has continued to raise the bar, most recently breaking her own New Zealand record in the 200m freestyle at the national championships in Auckland with a time of 1:55.06.
In Glasgow, Fairweather will have one of the busiest schedules in the team. She has been selected for the 200m, 400m, 800m and 1500m freestyle events and will also play a key role in both the women’s 4x200m freestyle Relay and the mixed 4x100m freestyle Relay.
Despite already establishing herself as one of the world’s leading distance freestylers, Glasgow will mark another significant milestone in her career as she chases a first Commonwealth Games medal.
“Glasgow is going to be an amazing experience and I’m really looking forward to the competition,” Fairweather said.
“I’m really excited to have the opportunity to compete for my first Commonwealth Games medal.”
Fairweather will be joined in the women’s 4x200m freestyle relay by Caitlin Deans, Milana Tapper and Eve Thomas. The mixed 4x100m freestyle relay will feature Chelsey Edwards, Cameron Gray and Carter Swift alongside Fairweather.
Lewis Clareburt will head to Glasgow seeking to add to his four Commonwealth Games medals.
Photo: PHOTOSPORT
In the men’s events, Clareburt is set to compete in his third Commonwealth Games – and with a fresh perspective after making a major change to his training environment.
The Wellington-born athlete was one of the stars of Birmingham 2022, winning gold in the 400m individual medley in a Commonwealth record time, before claiming a second gold in the 200m butterfly and bronze in the 200m individual medley.
Since then, Clareburt has added a world title to his rΓ©sumΓ©, claiming gold in the 400m individual medley at the 2024 World Championships. But after the Paris Olympic cycle, he made the decision to relocate to Melbourne, joining the Nunawading Swim Club under renowned coach Jolyon Finck as he builds towards the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics.
The move was designed to place Clareburt in a stronger daily training environment alongside fellow medley specialists, with the aim of challenging the dominant American training groups that have come to define the event in recent years.
He will contest four individual events at the Commonwealth Games, returning in the 400m individual medley, 200m individual medley and 200m butterfly, while adding the 200m freestyle to his programme.
The squad also includes defending Commonwealth champion Josh Willmer, who won gold in the men’s 100m breaststroke SB8 at Birmingham 2022. Willmer will compete in the SB9 classification in Glasgow, with the SB8 event not included on the programme.
Butterfly specialist Hazel Ouwehand is another athlete to watch after a strong international season that has seen her ranked among the world’s top performers in the 50m butterfly. She will compete in both the 50m and 100m butterfly events as she pursues her first Commonwealth Games medal.
Joining her in the 50m Butterfly is Junior world champion Zoe Pedersen. The 19-year-old will also race in the 50m and 100m freestyle.
Swimming New Zealand’s Olympic Pathway head coach Graham Hill believes the team is well-placed heading into one of the sport’s major events.
“The depth in this squad, across relays, individual events and Para swimming gives us real reason for confidence,” Hill said.
“We’re going to be very competitive and every athlete on this team is capable of outstanding performances.”
NZ Team – Swimming – Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games
- Erika Fairweather: Women’s 200m, 400m, 800m & 1500m Freestyle; 4x200m Women’s Freestyle Relay; 4x100m Mixed Freestyle Relayβ―
- Lewis Clareburt: Men’s 200m & 400m Individual Medley
- Hazel Ouwehand: Women’s 50m
- Zoe Pedersen: Women’s 50m Butterfly
- Caitlin Deans: 4x200m Women’s Freestyle Relay
- Milana Tapper: 4x200m Women’s Freestyle Relay
- Eve Thomas: 4x200m Women’s Freestyle Relay
- Chelsey Edwards: 4x100m Mixed Freestyle Relay
- Cameron Gray: 4x100m Mixed Freestyle Relay
- Carter Swift: 4x100m Mixed Freestyle Relay
- Josh Willmer: Men’s 100m Breaststroke SB9
- Amber George: Women’s 50m Backstroke
- Savannah-Eve Martin: Women’s 50m Backstroke
The following athletes have also been successfully granted permission to start in the following events at the Games.
- Lewis Clareburt: Men’s 200m Butterfly & 200m Freestyle
- Hazel Ouwehand: Women’s 100m Butterfly
- Chelsey Edwards: Women’s 50m Freestyle & 100m Freestyle
- Cameron Gray: Men’s 100m Freestyle & 50m Butterfly
- Carter Swift: Men’s 100m Freestyle
- Zoe Pedersen: Women’s 50m Freestyle & 100m Freestyle
- Caitlin Deans: Women’s 400m Freestyle & 800m Freestyle
- Milana Tapper: Women’s 50m Freestyle & 200m Freestyle
- Eve Thomas: Women’s 400m Freestyle & 800m Freestyle
- Amber George: Women’s 100m Backstroke
- Savannah-Eve Martin: Women’s 100m Backstroke
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