Neptune Swim Club's Caitlin Deans has wrapped up an exciting three-week international campaign, taking on some of the world's best athletes at the 2026 World Aquatics Swimming World Cup across Baku, Tashkent and Astana.

This year's Swimming World Cup took athletes on a remarkable journey along the historic Silk Road, with three consecutive weekends of world-class short-course racing in Azerbaijan, Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan. Each stop brought new challenges and opportunities as athletes competed for valuable World Cup points and prize money, building towards the World Aquatics Swimming Championships (25m) in Beijing from 1–6 December.

Caitlin delivered a series of impressive freestyle performances, regularly featuring among the leading athletes and gaining valuable experience against a competitive international field.

The tour began in Baku, Azerbaijan, from 1–3 October, where Caitlin finished fourth in the 400m Freestyle and secured an impressive second place in the 800m Freestyle. She also placed eighth in the 200m Freestyle, making a strong start to the series.

The action continued in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, from 8–10 October. Caitlin maintained her momentum, taking third in both the 400m and 1500m Freestyle, along with a sixth-place finish in the 200m Freestyle.

At the final stop in Astana, Kazakhstan, from 15–17 October, Caitlin continued her strong form. She finished second in the 1500m Freestyle, third in the 800m Freestyle and fourth in the 400m Freestyle, rounding out an impressive three-week campaign.

Across the series, Caitlin secured five podium finishes: two second-place and three third-place. Her results highlighted her strength and consistency in the longer freestyle events, with a podium finish in the 400m Freestyle at every stop and top-three finishes in either the 800m or 1500m Freestyle at each city where she contested those events.

Following the final stop in Astana, Caitlin finished 15th overall in the women's series standings, a fantastic achievement in an international field. Racing across three countries against some of the best athletes was another valuable milestone in her international swimming journey.

Congratulations to Caitlin on an outstanding World Cup campaign! We look forward to following her next chapter on the international stage - World Aquatics Swimming Championships (25m) in December.

Well done, Caitlin! 💙💛

⏱️Click to view Caitlin's results

📆 Up Next, the Cromwell Spring Carnival at the Cromwell Pool 7-8 November, with entries closing Thursday 29 October at 11:59 pm. Don't miss your chance to dive into all the action!

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Article added: Monday, 19 October 2026