Swimmers Erika Fairweather and Lewis Clareburt win New Zealand’s first medals at Commonwealth Games

Saturday, 25 July 2026

Erika Fairweather has won the first of what could be a handful of medals at the Commonwealth Games - but couldn’t make it gold in her favoured event.

The New Zealand swimmer took silver in the women’s 400 metres freestyle final in Glasgow on Saturday morning (NZ time) behind in-form Australian Lani Pallister.

Fellow Kiwi Lewis Clareburt backed that up with an excellent silver in the men’s 200m Individual medley behind home country favourite Duncan Scott.

The trans-Tasman duo pulled away early from the rest of the field in the first final of the evening at the Tollcross swimming venue, with Fairweather on Pallister’s shoulders for almost 250m before the fifth-ranked all-time over the 400 free distance and has twice gone under the four-minute barrier this year.

But the Australian drew away over the final 150m to win in a time of 3 minutes 59.56 seconds - the third-time this season the rising star has broken the four-minute barrier in the event this year.

Fairweather, who was the fastest qualifier from the morning heats, collected her first Commonwealth Games medal after finishing fourth in the same event in Birmingham in 2022.

The 22-year-old will also contest the 200m, 800 and 1500 free, along with the women's 4x200m freestyle relay and the mixed 4x100m freestyle relay, and will be up against Pallister in the longer-distance events, with the Australian heavily favoured to win gold in the latter two.

Kiwi Erika Fairweather poses with her Commonwealth Games silver medal, won in the 400m freestyle.

The 200 free however may be Fairweather’s best chance at gold, after she broke the New Zealand record by winning in 1:55.06 at the national championships in May.

Clareburt stormed home over the freestyle leg of his final but couldn’t quite catch Scott, who made a sensational start in the butterfly and backstroke legs,

Scott claimed gold in a Games record of 1:56.38, with Clareburt just 0.39s back, while England’s Thomas Dean was third.

Clareburt is expected to contest four events at the Games, including his favoured 400m individual medley.