Tokyo Medal Hope Lewis Clareburt Powers To Stunning New Zealand Record In 200 IM

Lewis Clareburt, 400m IM NZ record during Session 3 of the AON New Zealand Swimming Champs, National Aquatic Centre, Auckland, New Zealand. Tuesday 6 April 2021 Photo: Simon Watts/www.bwmedia.co.nz
EVERY WHICH WAY WITH LEWIS: Kiwi Tokyo medal hope Lewis Clareburt has plenty to smile for after a record breaking week in Auckland. Photo Courtesy Simon Watts (Swimming New Zealand)

New Zealand’s premier Tokyo Olympic medal hope Lewis Clareburt has smashed his third New Zealand Open record in Auckland tonight, adding the 200m individual medley to his Games repertoire in a barnstorming finale to the AON New Zealand Swimming Championships at the National Aquatic Centre.

The 21-year-old from Wellington took 1.40 seconds off the previous National mark of 1:59.24 (set by Bradlee Ashby at the 2017 World Championships in Budapest) clocking the seventh fastest time in the world this year, with his 1:57.84 – also well under the NZ Olympic qualifying time.

Lewis Clareburt relay

POINT ONE: Lewis Clareburt left nothing in the tank in Auckland this week.  Photo Courtesy: Simon Watts (Swimming New Zealand)

Clareburt, who established a new National mark for his main event, the 400IM (4:09.87) at the start of the week, set up tonight’s record with a powerful breaststroke to freestyle leg which he admitted had been his downfall in the past.

And his third National Open record of 48.96 in the 100m freestyle relay lead off, two days ago certainly held him in good stead as he powered to the wall down the final 50m – giving the vocal Auckland crowd plenty to cheer about.

But there was no rest for Clareburt, who was far from done.

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The boy who will carry the Kiwis medal hopes in July when he makes his Olympic debut, was back in the pool within an hour of the medley to take his second gold medal of the night in an exciting 100m freestyle final, clocking 49.04 – a time just outside his new National mark.

And there was more….he was back in the water again, this time leading off the Capital Swim Team in the 4x200m freestyle relay – leading off in 1:48.86 – setting up the emphatic relay victory and a time of 7:31.22, only just outside the 2009 National mark set at the 2009 World Championships in Rome (in the now banned supersuit era) so easily a a textile suit record.

Clareburt said his improved breaststroke had told the story about his IM improvement.

“My breaststroke has certainly improved a lot and there is no doubt it has been holding me back,” Clareburt said, who admitted he knew he had the 1:57 in him.

“It is not my main event but it’s nice to have in my back pocket in case I need it…”

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POINT TWO: Andrew Jeffcoat breaks a 12-year-old National record. Photo Courtesy: Simon Watts (Swimming New Zealand).

Earlier in the day Andrew Jeffcoat (Pukekohe) also set a new New Zealand Open record in the heats of the 50m backstroke – clocking a time of 25.06 – lowering Daniel Bell’s 2009 time of 25.24 – also set in Rome.

And in another eye-catching yet disappointing outcome, Helena Gasson (Auckland) couldn’t quite get down to the Olympic qualifying time in the 200IM –stopping the clock at 2:13.53, admitting she pushed hard too early and paid the price in the final freestyle lap.

 

 

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