On paper New Zealand’s Commonwealth Games swimming team has the potential to be one of the country’s most successful in recent times.
Led by self-appointed team mum and para-swimming legend Dame Sophie Pascoe and individual medley specialist Lewis Clareburt, the team has medals of a golden colour right in its sights.
Throw in the up-and-coming ability of Dunedin teenager Erika Fairweather and the under-the-radar hope Andrew Jeffcoat and it could well be a successful time for New Zealand in the water in Birmingham.
Only there was this same hope and expectation at the Tokyo Olympics where, outside of Pascoe’s exploits, New Zealand swimmers only competed in three finals.
Clareburt, a medal hope in Tokyo, looked strong for 375 metres of the 400m individual medley, only to fade and finish seventh.
That result and, more to the point how it all unfolded, was a head-scratcher for everyone around the 23-year-old until his coach Gary Hollywood found out what had been going on.
“He had the world on his shoulders as a young man at his first Olympics,” Hollywood said.
The 23-year-old will compete in the 200m and 400m IM in Birmingham, aiming to become the first male Kiwi swimmer to win a Commonwealth gold since Moss Burmester in 2006. (Source: 1News)
“With 25 metres to go he would never go from second to seventh, but he did in Tokyo. I saw him coming out (of the pool) looking dishevelled and it took me a while to find out that the fact was he just didn’t sleep.”
Clareburt had been up all through the night stressing about the final in the morning. It forced the pair to act.
“Lewis is working with a performance psychologist in the United States who works with mindfulness and meditation and I’m working with Dr Bruce Lawrie one of the preeminent sports psychologists in the world,” Hollywood explained. “We put some of what we’ve learnt into practice in Hungary and Lewis swam the fastest 50 (metre) split in the 50m free of any of his competitors.”
There, Clareburt finished fourth in the 400m IM.
READ MORE: Clareburt looking to rediscover love of swimming after tough year
“As an athlete you try every avenue you can to try and make those little one percent gains. Now I think I know how to ground myself and understand the moment and zone in and out of the moment,” a thoughtful Clareburt explained.
The 23-year-old will compete in the 200m and 400m IM in Birmingham, aiming to become the first male Kiwi swimmer to win a Commonwealth gold since Moss Burmester in 2006.
Dame Sophie's also a great chance to stand atop the podium, though in her case this will likely be the last chance at a Commonwealth Games to add to a glittering career.
The four-time Commonwealth gold medallist has a rather chilled schedule by her incredible standards – competing in just the S9 100 metres freestyle. Compare that to the carnage and congestion of what she achieved in incredible circumstances in Tokyo and this likely feels like a walk in the park.
“It’s been such a nice change,” Dame Sophie laughed. “Older body, older person, older mind, but it has been a really nice change just to focus on one event. It’s a race that I love and I know that I’ve got a lot to give in that race.”
She's not afraid to admit other things in her life are starting to a lack bit of precedence over constant dedication to swimming. Dame Sophie, who recently missed her investiture due to Covid, will get married next year. And with her experience in the pool and at numerous global events, she's playing the role of “camp mum”, a role she almost felt she had to appoint herself to.
“It’s such an awesome team, we’ve got some fresh kids on the block and we’ve got some experienced players. I already probably get given the role of camp mum being the most experienced on the team, but it’s an exciting leadership role.”
Eleven of New Zealand’s swimmers compete on the opening day of competition on Friday night (NZT).
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