Dunedin Olympian Caitlin Deans is chasing more success this week. Fresh off winning bronze at the Commonwealth Games, Deans is jumping back in the pool at the Pan Pacific championships — being held for the first time since 2018 — in Irvine, California. Deans is part of a 15-strong New Zealand team selected for the competition, featuring Glasgow medallists Erika Fairweather, Lewis Clareburt, Hazel Ouwehand, Eve Thomas and Milana Tapper. The Neptune swimmer will compete in the women’s 400m, 800m and 1500m freestyle at the competition, which starts on Thursday (NZ time). Deans won bronze in the 4x200m freestyle relay at her debut Commonwealth Games in Glasgow alongside Fairweather, Thomas and Tapper. They reset the New Zealand record in 7min 51.94sec. She finished fourth in the 800m freestyle in 8min 33.21sec and produced an outstanding personal best — and Otago record — with 16min 8.62sec in the 1500m freestyle to finish fifth. Deans, who also competed at the Paris Olympics, was also sixth in the 400m freestyle in 4min 9.45sec. Fairweather has entered in the women’s 100m, 200m, 400m and 800m freestyle events at the Pan Pacific championships. She is a top four seed in most events, but will face tough competition for podium spots alongside Australian Lani Pallister, Canadian Summer McIntosh — who skipped the Commonwealth Games in preparation for this event — and American Katie Ledecky. Australian Mollie O’Callaghan withdrew earlier this month after nursing a back complaint. New Zealand will be hoping to build on their successful outing in Glasgow, where they picked up 10 medals. “We had a really successful meet in Glasgow,’’ Swimming New Zealand head coach Graham Hill said. “Everyone performed really well and achieved what we set out to achieve. “We’ve had some rest following that campaign and there’s been an injection of new energy from those who’ve joined the team. “We’re now ready and excited to step up and do it all over again at the Pan Pacs in Irvine.’’ The competition finishes on Sunday.
