Clareburt swims to silver

Clareburt, a bronze medallist in this event four years ago in Birmingham, put in an outstanding effort and swam a personal best (PB) time, but had to be satisfied with the silver medal behind home town hero Duncan Scott.

The New Zealander, just turned 27, filled third spot for much of the journey but his strength on the closing lap lifted him ahead of Englishman Tom Dean.

Scott won in 1min 56.38s. Clareburt, closing fast, was timed at 1min 56.77s, with a gap of more than half a second back to Dean.

Clareburt is the current Commonwealth Games 400m medley champion and in the 200m he is considered slightly weaker. It didn't look like that the way he swam the final, and he clearly finished strongest.

Afterwards he was delighted with his silver medal but even happier to have swum a PB. 'I've been sitting on that 1min 57s mark for eight years. It's so good to have finally cracked it, and on such a big stage. What a great feeling!'

He said he had no idea where he was placed as he headed for home in the last lap. 'I was breathing out the wrong side so I didn't know where I was [placed], but I felt I was going well.'

Clareburt was the fourth fastest qualifier in the morning heats, but in the final he showed his ability to turn in a big performance when it counted.