Bold move: Lewis Clareburt leaves New Zealand to chase an Olympic swimming medal in Los Angeles 2028.
Two-time Olympian Clareburt has announced he will relocate from Auckland to Melbourne, joining Nunawading Swim Club this January 2026 to pursue medals at the LA Games. The 2024 World Champion in the 400m individual medley will be coached by Jolyon Finck, a highly respected international mentor, and will train alongside other elite medley specialists.
After needing to move to Auckland in late 2023 due to limited lane space at Wellington Regional Aquatic Centre—the facility was shared with other sports and the public—Clareburt now seeks a deeper, more focused training environment. He captured gold in both the 400m medley and the 200m butterfly at the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham and reached the 400m medley final at the Tokyo Olympics.
"We’re aiming to build a powerhouse medley training group in Melbourne," Clareburt stated. "Right now, there’s a thriving medley squad in the United States that’s collecting medals worldwide. If Australian and New Zealand medley swimmers want to stand on the podium, we need a similar cohort in the southern hemisphere—and that’s what we’re setting up."
Living abroad at 26 marks a new chapter for Clareburt and his partner, who look forward to immersion in a different culture while continuing to push his athletic boundaries. He added gratitude for his Auckland team: former coach Mitch Nairn, along with his physiotherapists and strength-and-conditioning staff, have all played vital roles in his journey.
"My time in Auckland has been incredibly meaningful, and I’ll continue to compete for New Zealand while returning home for races and camps. This mix will keep me sharp as I pursue fresh challenges that bring me closer to my goals," he said.
Swimming New Zealand head of high performance Graeme Maw welcomed the development, noting the organization’s ongoing commitment to Clareburt. Maw said, "We’re excited to watch Lewis grow toward a podium in LA. Our relationship with him—and with his Melbourne-based coach—remains strong, and SNZ will continue to provide full support as he targets key future events."
