Erika Fairweather gave it all she had, but in the end had to settle for fourth place in the women’s 400m freestyle final.
The 20-year-old from Dunedin went into today’s final as the third fastest qualifier, and had strong hopes of claiming an Olympic medal to go along with the two world titles she won earlier this year.
But she was up against some absolutely top-quality opponents.
Australian Ariarne Titmus, the world record holder, successfully defended her Olympic crown, winning the race in a sizzling 3min 57.49s from Canadian Summer McIntosh, whose 3min 58.37s represented a colossal improvement on her heat time.
American Katie Ledecky, former Olympic champion and world record holder, had to be satisfied with third in 4min 00.86s and Fairweather was fourth in 4min 01.12s, which is a decidedly slippery time, but was not enough to earn her a medal against such great swimmers.
The New Zealander was playing catch-up for most of the race as Titmus set a torrid pace and McIntosh gambled all on trying to stay with her.
Fairweather’s experience in the 400m in Paris reminded New Zealand Olympic historians of the experience of Rebecca Perrott in Montreal in 1976. The tall 15-year-old Wellingtonian swam brilliantly in the heats against the might of the East Germans and was fastest qualifier for the final. In the final, Perrott missed a medal by just a whisker, finishing fourth.
Not surprisingly, Fairweather said after her final she was “a little bit gutted” to miss out on a medal. “No-one wants to come fourth, but I gave it everything I had out there. I know I can go quite a bit faster, but it just wasn’t there today. It is what it is.”
She was at a loss to explain why things hadn’t quite clicked for her in the final, after swimming so well in her heat. “I’d love to have been on that podium, but I can’t complain. They are some great swimmers there.”
Though the 400m is her top event, Fairweather still has a busy programme ahead of her in Paris.
“I’ve got a mountain to climb this week and look forward to different aspects of the different races.”