2024 NEW ZEALAND SWIMMING CHAMPIONSHIPS
- Tuesday, April 9th – Saturday, April 13th
- Hawke’s Bay Regional Aquatic Centre
- LCM (50m)
- Olympic Selection Criteria
- Meet Central
- Entries/Live Results
- Livestream
- Day 1 Recap
- Day 2 Recap
- Day 3 Recap
During the third finals session of the 2024 New Zealand Olympic Swimming Trials, 400 IM specialist Lewis Clareburt produced a new national record in the 400 freestyle. He stopped the clock in 3:46.85 to break Matthew Stanley‘s previous national record of 3:47.09 from 2012.
Speaking to Swimming New Zealand after the swim, Clareburt stated: “I was so happy with that swim, Zac and I have had some unreal battles in the 400m over the years and I’m proud of us both going in and attacking it. The game plan was to go out fast and try hold on which I did but the legs were feeling it for sure.”
Clareburt opened his race strong with an opening 100 split of 54.28. He then proceeded to split 28-seconds for six of the seven remaining 50s, which ultimately helped him undercut the national record by 0.24.
Clareburt’s Splits:
| Lap | Time |
| First 50 | 25.79 |
| Second 50 | 54.28 (28.49) |
| Third 50 | 1:23.19 (28.91) |
| Fourth 50 | 1:52.19 (29.00) |
| Fifth 50 | 2:20.51 (28.32) |
| Sixth 50 | 2:49.22 (28.71) |
| Seventh 50 | 3:18.00 (28.78) |
| Final 50 | 3:46.85 (28.85) |
No stranger to the international scene, Clareburt has amassed several international medals in the IM and butterfly events. Most recently, he won the 400 IM gold medal at the 2024 World Championships in Doha, where he put up a time of 4:09.72. He’s been as quick as 4:08.70 in that race, a time he clocked en route to Commonwealth gold in 2022.
With this swim, Clareburt now owns three individual long course New Zealand national records:
- 200 IM — 1:57.27 (2021)
- 400 IM — 4:08.70 (2022)
- 400 Free — 3:46.85 (2024)
In addition to the individual records, Clareburt contributed to three current national records in relay events. Earlier in this competition, he contributed a 100 free split of 48.45 to help his Club 37 team break the 4×100 free relay national record.
You can watch the record-breaking performance at the 11:30 mark in the following livestream.
Race Video: