Lewis Clareburt celebrates after beating silver medallist Chad le Clos (left) of South Africa. Photo / Getty
Lewis Clareburt celebrates after beating silver medallist Chad le Clos (left) of South Africa. Photo / Getty
By Kris Shannon in Birmingham
With 15 metres to race in the 200m butterfly final, having led from the start in search of a fourth straight title in the event, Chad le Clos looked to his right.
The South African was well accustomed to these moments: four Olympic medals, fourworld championship triumphs, seven golds at the Commonwealth Games.
A decade ago, not far from Birmingham, he had even stunned Michael Phelps in this very discipline.
But now, Le Clos was in trouble. And he knew it. He had held a half-second edge over the swimmer in lane four at the final turn, but now that gap - along with his hopes of continuing a Comm Games stranglehold in the 200 fly - was rapidly diminishing.
With 15 metres to race, as he rose from the water to take a breath and complete the recovery phase of his stroke, Le Clos looked to his right, looked at the swimmer in lane four, and realised his reign was almost over.
Lewis Clareburt finished strong in the men's 200m butterfly to win his second gold of the Games. Photo / Photosport
Lewis Clareburt, five strokes later, secured his second gold medal in as many nights, this victory as dramatic as the first was dominant.
"I knew after the first 50 that he had gone out hard," Clareburt told the Herald, gold around his neck. "I always knew he was a good 150-metre swimmer, but not quite able to get to that 200-metre distance.
"But I never thought that I'd be able to crawl him back that much, and it was surprising for me to get there.
"I watched him growing up on TV. Every single competition, I'd be there watching him. So even just to be up there on the podium is pretty special."
Clareburt's special performance illustrated the advantage of being in the middle of the pool, a position earned when the Kiwi qualified fastest for the final, nine-hundredths of a second ahead of Le Clos.
"Chad and I were just playing around a little bit in that last lap this morning," Clareburt said. "I knew that I could put my head down tonight … I knew I had that last 50 in me."
If that kind of confidence sounds rare from a New Zealand swimmer, there's a reason. Last night Clareburt became the first Kiwi man since Moss Burmester to win Commonwealth Games gold; now he's only the second Kiwi after Sophie Pascoe to win multiple golds at the same Games.
Lewis Clareburt reacts after winning gold. Photo / Photosport
The next big name in his sights is Danyon Loader. It now seems clear that Clareburt will end New Zealand's long Olympic drought in the pool, without a medal of any colour since 1996.
The 400 IM looms as his more likely route to the podium but, given his progression and given there's still two years to Paris, the butterfly cannot be discounted.
"My confidence is the fact I'm swimming faster," Clareburt said. "I honestly didn't think I would win a gold medal in the 200m butterfly coming in. I wasn't even entered in it. I just asked to be put in, and they said yes.
"I think I'm slowly becoming more competitive, and I think the rest of the world is going to be watching what we're doing."
Clareburt will be doing the watching in the coming days. Next in action in the 200 IM on Wednesday, he now has some well-deserved time off to reflect on his butterfly success - and perhaps reconsider his priorities.
"I've got two days of downtime and supporting the rest of the team," he said. "My role now is cheerleader.
"Then I'll be competing in my second-favourite event - or what's supposed to be my second-favourite event."
