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Full Noise by SN
Important update on 1476AMComm Games push intensifies as Clareburt ponders flag policy change
Alex Chapman • April 23rd, 2026 9:53 am
Lewis Clareburt | Photo: Photosport
As he ponders his own future, Lewis Clareburt hopes the return of the Russian and Belarusian flags will do little to halt his rapid progression.
Last week, World Aquatics announced that neutrality restrictions regarding the two countries would be lifted, allowing them to compete with their national anthems and flags.
Since the invasion of Ukraine, Russian and Belarusian athletes have had to be vetted to be allowed to compete under neutral status across sport.
“For me, it is what it is. We just have to accept the decisions that the governing bodies make.” Clareburt told Sport Nation Mornings.
In December, the International Olympic Committee recommended Russian and Belarusian athletes at international youth events be allowed to compete under national flags. The IOC kept its neutral requirements for senior competitions, with Russians and Belarusians referred to as "Individual Neutral Athletes" at this year’s Winter Olympics.
World Aquatics oversees several sports including swimming, diving and water polo, and is widely regarded as a key voice in the Olympic movement, particularly given IOC boss Kirsty Coventry is a former gold medal–winning swimmer.
“I think we've been racing them regardless of if they're under the Russian and Belarusian flag anyway.” Clareburt explained.
“We had a Russian guy win a silver or bronze medal in the 400 [individual medley] last year in Singapore, so they're there anyway. I think it's just the fact that they're being able to compete under their flag again.”
Russian and Belarusian athletes will have to undergo four anti-doping tests and background checks before competing. However, Norway and Poland have already said they won’t host international championships if athletes from Russia and Belarus are allowed to compete.
Lewis Clareburt | Photo: Photosport
Despite training with international athletes at his base in Melbourne, Clareburt’s noticed little conversation about it.
"We've had Japanese and Koreans and all sorts of people come through and it's not even something you think about or talk about at all. Like we as athletes, we're all just friends and I guess colleagues. So, it doesn't even get mentioned in a training session.”
For the 26-year-old, his focus is more on his own efforts in the pool.
Having moved across the ditch in January to join the Nunawading Club, Clareburt’s already seeing the benefits, winning three golds and a bronze at this month’s Australian Open on the Gold Coast.
His win in the 200m freestyle saw him smash his own national record of 1.47:03 set in December by almost one and a half seconds, to 1.45:57.
It’s an event he didn’t even compete in at the Paris Olympics, though it still isn’t quick enough under current ‘A’ qualifying standards (1.45:45).
“I think I'm just seeing the fruits of being able to race someone every single day. I've been able to swim next to a guy that is essentially keeping me accountable every single day. His name is Will Petric, and being able to have someone that you swim next to, regardless if it's a good day or a bad day for yourself, they're going to keep you accountable.”
It’s that sort of competitive edge that Clareburt’s realised is crucial to his training and development.
“I found out pretty quickly what my weaknesses were just swimming next to Petric. My transitions have been significantly slower, like my on-top-of-the-water speed is actually really good. But I lose lots of time transitioning through strokes.
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“We did a time-trial last night against Petric where we did a broken 400 medley, and I was faster over top of the water. But as soon as we got to the turn, he was half a body length behind and came out half a body length in front, so I had to make that up again.”
Clareburt describes it as “frustrating” and concedes it’ll take a combination of skills to improve his turns.
“It's a mix of actually purposefully making an effort to rotate faster, purposefully going further underwater, purposefully actually working my legs for longer periods. And that starts in training.”
His Aussie Open efforts in the 200 and 400 IM though are still well off the podium times in Paris.
The Commonwealth Games are the next big task for Clareburt, as he looks to match or better his haul of two golds and a bronze in Birmingham four years ago. He’s qualified, though needs to attend next month’s national championships in Auckland to officially book his ticket.
What that Glasgow campaign looks like though is still uncertain, with the final decision on it potentially not to be finalised until the week before.
“I've got the ability to do like eight events at the Commonwealth Games, but I probably don't have the actual capacity to swim eight fast events across the week. So, and then if we throw in relays as well, that sort of adds another layer.
“You like nice shiny objects and it's like ‘do I go and do a turn of freestyle instead of doing other events’? So, there is temptation to focus on other things other than the IM. But I think ultimately, my IM is the event that I really want to be competitive in and I know I want to podium in in two years.
“But it doesn't hurt having fun in other events and beating the Aussies every now and then.”
