New Zealand's Lewis Clairbert wins men's 400m individual medley final at 2024 Doha World Aquatics Championships
photograph: photo sports
Swimmer Louis Clairvert says his win at the world championships in Doha this morning was a big boost after suffering a lack of confidence in recent years.
Clairbert finished the competition in Doha with victory in the 400m individual medley, the same event in which she won gold at the Commonwealth Games.
It was New Zealand's second world title after Erica Fairweather won the 400m freestyle last week.
The 24-year-old admitted he hasn't been at his best lately.
“The last few years have been tough for me. I think I lost a lot of confidence in myself and my abilities,” Clairbert said.
“I swam a pretty good time (today), so I think I'm more confident heading into Paris.
This is Clairvert's first world title and second world championship medal after winning bronze in the same event in 2019.
He qualified for the Paris Olympics with a time of 4:09.72.
That was just a few months after he decided to leave Wellington and move to Auckland to train with Mitch Nairn.
“It was a big risk to leave Gary (Wellington coach Gary Hollywood), my home and the environment that worked for me.
“But although we can expect results soon, we still have another six months to work together because we know that once we come to Paris we will be on the podium much faster.”
“This is a good test to see how our relationship is progressing.”
New Zealand's Lewis Clairvert won the men's 400m individual medley final at the 2024 Doha World Aquatics Championships.
photograph: photo sports
Today, Clairbert celebrated his victory in Pukana by miming shooting an arrow from a bow.
“So many emotions came together at once. I didn't want to lose that race.”
He said the celebration was a copy of what he saw MMA fighter Israel Adesanya do after a fight.
However, the past two weeks have not been plain sailing for Clairbert.
He missed out on the Olympic qualification for the 200m medley and 200m butterfly, but hopes to reach them at the national championships in April.
Today, while having lunch between heats and finals, he lost his bag containing his swimsuit.
The security guard returned it to him within 30 minutes.
So for the first time ever, New Zealand will have two world champions at the Olympics.
“Fairweather said something unprecedented, how cool.
“I've heard the national anthem played twice in one week, and it was just surreal.”
Fairweather also won a silver medal in the 200 freestyle and a bronze medal in the 800 freestyle.
