New Zealand's Erika Fairweather reacts after winning the final of the women's 400m freestyle swimming event during the 2024 World Aquatics Championships at Aspire Dome in Doha on February 11, 2024. Photo: MANAN VATSYAYANA
Erika Fairweather has won the 400m freestyle at the 2024 World Aquatics Championships in Doha, becoming New Zealand's first ever gold medallist at the prestigious event.
The 20-year-old, who qualified second fastest for the final, led throughout to finish in 3:59.44 seconds, a personal best and New Zealand record.
Fairweather had a winning margin of 2.18 seconds over China's Li Bingjie.
Compatriot Eve Thomas finished seventh in the final, with a time of 4:05.87. Both Kiwis also swam under the qualifying time for the Paris Olympics in their heats.
Swimming New Zealand's Olympic Programme lead, Gary Francis, said it was a huge achievement for the Dunedin swimmer.
"To put it in perspective I think it's the fourth fastest time ever, maybe the fifth. That event at the moment is actually completely full of the all time greats in the event and Erika's right up there," Francis said.
Fairweather won bronze in the 400m freestyle at last year's World Championships and headed into this year's competition as the number one ranked athlete in the distance.
The top three ranked swimmers in the discipline opted to skip the Championships to focus on Olympic preparation - the reigning Olympic champion Ariarne Titmus of Australia, American Katie Ledecky, and Canadian Summer McIntosh.
"The three big guns weren't there but Erika is pushing closer and closer and tonight was another huge break through.
"She's really really happy, she knows that she's done a great job, she swum her best time and I don't think that the true significance, the history of what she's achieved is going to sink in yet."
New Zealand's Erika Fairweather poses with her gold medal on the podium of the women's 400m freestyle swimming event during the 2024 World Aquatics Championships at Aspire Dome in Doha on February 11, 2024. Photo: SEBASTIEN BOZON
Francis, who is in Doha, said Fairweather was on an upward trajectory.
"Every time she swims she seems to swim faster but probably the biggest problem we have is that the other three, well certainly two of the other three are still on an upward path and Katie Ledecky just doesn't ever seem to get any slower."
Francis said the depth in the women's 400m freestyle had never been as strong and winning an Olympic medal in Paris in July was still a big ask for Fairweather.
"It's still going to be very tough for Erika to win a medal but she is very very capable, tonight showed that, slightly different situation she went in as favourite tonight, which is a brand new situation for her and handled it brilliantly, swam the house down."
Fairweather made the Olympic final in the event as a 17-year-old at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.
"It's probably a shame that some of the others weren't there because I think it probably would have dragged her through to maybe going even faster.
"Titmus is the fastest at 3:55 and then Ledecky and Summer McIntosh the Canadian have both swum 3:56 and Erika's at 3:59 so it sounds like a big gap at the moment but Erika is closing that gap.
"If Erika was in any other era she's likely to have been the number one and been considered an all time great. As it happens she's just one of the greats in this era."
Fairweather said she was excited about the result.
"How crazy was that. I'm so stoked with that time. I'm so happy with where I am right now and I'm so excited for what's to come," Fairweather said.
Fairweather has got a huge week of swimming left.
She will also will compete in the 200m freestyle, the 4x200m relay and the the 800m freestyle.
