World Champion! Lewis Clareburt wins Gold at World Champs

New Zealand has a second swimming world champion in a week, with Lewis Clareburt claiming his maiden world title at the World Aquatic Championships in Doha by winning the 400m individual medley title.

The Commonwealth Games champion joins Erika Fairweather as the only Kiwis to win world titles in the history of the event. Fairweather did so last Monday, before picking up two further podiums in Doha.

Clareburt won today’s final in a time of 4 mins 09.72 secs, 00.68 secs ahead of Max Litchfield of Great Britain. Japan’s Daiya Seto was third.

Clareburt’s time was a second slower than his personal best, which he set when he won gold at the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham two years ago.

Two-time defending champion and world record holder Leon Marchand was not at the event and will be the heavy favourite racing at home at the Paris Olympics.

Though despite Marchand skipping the event it was still a strong field today, with Seto and American Carson Foster, who finished fourth, making the podium at last year’s event.

This article was first published on nzherald.co.nz and is republished here with permission