Australian swimmers have continued their strong performance at the Glasgow Commonwealth Games, adding to their medal tally with several gold medals. The nation now leads the overall Games medal standings, having accumulated 16 gold medals over three days of competition in the pool.
Cam McEvoy delivered a dominant performance in the 50m freestyle final, securing a gold medal and leading an Australian podium sweep. McEvoy was the only finalist to complete the race in under 21 seconds, clocking 20.97 seconds. This victory marks his first individual gold medal at his third Commonwealth Games, ending a personal drought for the swimmer.
Flynn Southam and Jamie Jack joined McEvoy on the podium, taking silver and bronze respectively. Southam finished with a time of 21.44 seconds, while Jack recorded 21.47 seconds. McEvoy’s win follows his world record-breaking performance of 20.88 seconds in the 50m freestyle at the China Swimming Open earlier this year, a record that had stood for 17 years.
McEvoy, known as “the Professor,” has experienced a significant resurgence in his swimming career. He took a sabbatical after the Tokyo Olympics and considered leaving the sport before overhauling his training regimen. His return saw him win the 50m freestyle at the Paris Olympics, and this latest Commonwealth Games gold is his fourth overall, with the previous three coming in relays.
In other swimming events, Lani Pallister secured a decisive victory in the 1500m freestyle final. She finished nearly 18 seconds ahead of her closest competitor, with fellow Australian Molly Walker earning a bronze medal.
Australia also claimed gold in the men’s 4x200m freestyle relay. The team, comprising Sam Short, Harry Turner, Ed Sommerville, and Kai Taylor, set a new Games record with a time of 7 minutes 1.47 seconds. Taylor’s strong anchor leg was crucial in securing the win over England, who had been leading at the final change.
Anderson and Hodge secure gold
Iona Anderson, at 20 years old, won gold in the women’s 100m backstroke final with a time of 58.71 seconds, narrowly beating Canada’s Kylie Masse, who finished in 58.77 seconds. Anderson’s win was particularly emotional as she competed in front of her Scottish grandmother. She had also previously won the 200m backstroke earlier in the week.
Tim Hodge, who was Australia’s baton bearer at the opening ceremony, contributed to the gold medal haul by winning the men’s 100m backstroke S9. His victory was among five gold medals claimed by Australia in the Tollcross pool on Monday morning (AEST).
However, not all races went Australia’s way. Matthew Temple experienced a repeat of a previous encounter, losing to Canadian star Josh Liendo in a record-breaking 100m butterfly final. Liendo, an Olympic silver medallist, clocked 50.42 seconds, beating Temple by just one hundredth of a second, as Temple finished in 50.43 seconds. Temple had set a Games record of 50.63 seconds in the semi-finals on day two.
Liendo had also won gold in the 100m butterfly four years prior in Birmingham, where Temple shared a dead-heat for silver with English swimmer James Guy.
Success beyond the pool
Beyond the swimming events, Australia also achieved success in gymnastics. Breanna Scott secured a silver medal in the women’s individual all-around final with an overall score of 52.900. Canada’s Ellie Black won the gold medal in this event, while fellow Australian Georgia Godwin finished in fifth place with a score of 50.950.
Both Scott and Godwin are scheduled to compete in the apparatus finals, with Godwin participating in the vault and uneven bars, and Scott joining Kate McDonald on the uneven bars. Godwin had previously won gold in this event in 2022.
The Australian team is currently at the top of the medal tally with 39 medals, including 17 gold, showcasing a strong start to their Commonwealth Games campaign.
Source: theguardian.com
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