By Kris Shannon in Paris

Lewis Clareburt could still muster a laugh.

A dream dashed, a drought prolonged, but the Kiwi at least found rueful humour after being asked when New Zealand might finally win another Olympic swimming medal.

“I was hoping about five minutes ago.”

That hope, unfortunately for Clareburt and a country waiting almost three decades, proved to be in vain.

The 25-year-old was below his best in the 400m individual medley final at Paris’ La Defense Arena, unable to match his world championship-winning time from earlier in the year, or his Commonwealth record set two years ago in Birmingham, or the rapid marks he had been posting in training.

None of those times would have been enough to overhaul gold medallist Leon Marchand, with the Frenchman knocking off Michael Phelps’ Olympic record after previously usurping the last of the American great’s world records.

But behind Marchand and his freakish 4m 2.95s, two shiny prizes were there to be won. If Clareburt had carved a tenth of a second off his personal best of 4m 8.70s, silver would have been around his neck and the New Zealand flag raised high above an Olympic pool for the first time in 28 years.

Instead, stopping the clock at 4m 10.44s, he will take home nothing but regrets.

“I know that I’m a better swimmer than that,” Clareburt said. “I just wasn’t able to execute the race that I wanted to and sixth is the final result, unfortunately.

“It’s been a really tough couple of years, and to have it finish that way, it’s not a fairy-tale ending.”

Clareburt felt, with some justification, a happy ending was within reach after relishing a fresh start in Auckland. Little more than two months ago, despite not shaving or tapering off his training load, he came within 0.01s of his PB at the Sydney Open, the second-fastest time in the world this year.

Having failed to replicate that effort on the grandest of stages, Clareburt cut a disconsolate figure moments after touching the wall. He sat poolside for several seconds, pulled off his black cap and stared into the water.

Lewis Clareburt couldn't produce his best in Paris. Photo / Photosport

“There was a small reflection on the side of the pool – a little bit of being overwhelmed in the moment, and just thankful I was able to finish today and move on from it,” he said. “To have these last couple years of buildup, this was the moment I was meant to execute.”

The execution problems began with his breaststroke, Clareburt attacking the medley’s third leg but losing his rhythm as a result. Too much ground had to be made on the freestyle and too little was left in reserve.

There’s a reason the 400 IM is regarded as swimming’s most demanding race. Similarly, Clareburt suggests a simple explanation for why this country continues to struggle in the Olympic pool.

“Swimming is a tough sport and it shows – we haven’t had a medal for so long,” he said. “To be able to perform in this environment, it’s tough. We’re up against countries that are putting so much in terms of funding and resources into each of these events. They’ve won medals consistently for years on end, and we haven’t been able to do that.

“Being on the other side of the world, we have to do things differently. I thought this was the opportunity we could do that. We’ve done so much in such a small amount of time, and this was the time we were meant to do it. I’m not sure when the next opportunity will come.”

At the next Games, in Los Angeles, Clareburt will be 28. Chase Kalisz, the 30-year-old American defending 400 IM champion, failed to make the final in Paris.

But having watched a teammate finish fourth the night before his own near-miss, Clareburt offered Kiwi fans some hope for 2028.

“I wouldn’t be surprised if Erika [Fairweather] will be on the podium – at least.”