Lewis Clareburt celebrates his gold medal. Photo / AP
Lewis Clareburt celebrates his gold medal. Photo / AP
By Kris Shannon in Birmingham
After waiting 16 years for a male Kiwi swimmer to claim a Commonwealth Games gold medal, the next one arrived in less than 24 hours. Then another 20 minutes later.
First, Lewis Clareburt wasted no time in doubling his triumphant golden tally, taking out the200m butterfly final with an epic last-gasp victory in the Birmingham pool.
Clareburt had seemed set for a place on the lower steps of the podium for much of the race. He trailed Chad le Clos by half a second turning into the final of four laps, the legendary South African having gone out hard while looking to seal a fourth straight title in the event.
Lewis Clareburt celebrates his gold medal. Photo / AP
But Clareburt produced a spectacular final 50 metres to overhaul both Le Clos and two-time Olympic gold medallist James Guy of England, stopping the clock at 1:55.60 to win by 0.29s seconds.
Then, just as Clareburt prepared to receive his prize, 17-year-old Joshua Willmer doubled the delight of the watching Kiwi team, seizing victory in the 100m SB8 breaststroke final. The youngest athlete in the swim team, Willmer also left his run late to triumph at the wall, edging Australian Timothy Hodge by 0.07 seconds.
That made it four gold medals so far for New Zealand at Sandwell Aquatics Centre, after Sophie Pascoe won yet another title on the opening night and Clareburt took out the 400m individual medley yesterday.
While that record-breaking success in his favoured event had been forecast, Clareburt's second gold medal came as more of a surprise - even to himself.
"I didn't think that would happen tonight," Clareburt said. "I honestly didn't think coming into today I would be here, or even standing on the podium.
"It was a pretty stacked field, with Chad, James and Duncan [Scott] there. For me to come out on top, I'm just surprised - and happy as well."
The shock was natural. Clareburt has applied a greater focus to the medley races in his career - with the 200 IM coming later in the week - and didn't enter the 200m butterfly at last year's Tokyo Olympics.
But the 23-year-old had fired a warning shot to the big guns in this morning's heats, showing no signs of fatigue from last night's heroics by qualifying fastest for the final in a time of 1:56:76, edging Le Clos by 0.09 seconds.
"I knew this morning after the heat that I had a little bit more left to give in that last 50," he said. "It's always been an event I've enjoyed. Most people probably wouldn't enjoy 200 butterfly, but I think as a 400 medley swimmer you have to be good at all the 200s.
"I definitely always target it - I think the last few years I haven't really been able to put a good swim under my belt."
That was no problem for Willmer while making his debut at a major competition. He trailed Hodge by 0.14 seconds at the halfway mark and, keeping the Australian in his sights, knew he needed a big finish.
Joshua Willmer of New Zealand celebrates victory in the Men's 100m Breaststroke SB8 Final. Photo / Getty
"I saw him the whole time - I was behind him the whole way," an ecstatic Willmer said. "In the last 25, I knew I had to pump the arms, kick the legs.
"I didn't see him the last five metres so I was just really hoping I had him. I'm absolutely blown away."
That probably captured the mood of the entire New Zealand team, especially after Tupou Neiufi completed a special session with silver in the women's 100m S8 backstroke final.
The 21-year-old won gold in the same event at last year's Olympics but world champion Alice Tai - absent in Tokyo - earned the win in a time of 1:13.64. Neiufi, who stopped the clock at 1:17.91, was nonetheless elated with her performance.
New Zealand swimmer Tupou Neiufi after winning silver in the women's 100m Backstroke S8 Swimming Final. Photosport
"It felt awesome," she said. "In the last 25, I literally didn't think I was going to get it, because I was just bowing out.
"I was really nervous when I smashed the wall but I saw my time and second place. I was just more happy with my time because I haven't gone that fast this year. It was a good feeling."
