Commonwealth Games Day One Finals: Lenton Beaten by McClatchey in 200 freestyle, South Africans Edge Aussie Men in Freestyle Relay

By Stephen J. Thomas

MELBOURNE, Australia, March 16. ALL the local media hype had focussed on the prospect of Aussie swim star Libby Lenton grabbing seven gold medals at the Commonwealth Games, but this possibility was quickly silenced in the 200 freestyle by a Scottish lass by the name of Caitlin McClatchey.

The unheralded Scot ranked 82nd on the all-time list before today sat behind Lenton who blasted her first fifty in 26.76 – .38 under world record split – but as Lenton fell off WR pace at the halfway mark, McClatchey and English hope Mel Marshall moved within a body length of the favorite. In the back half of the race Lenton struggled hard to keep her lead over the two British girls but it was McClatchey that got to the front under the flags and touched first in a new Games record 1:57.25 – the fourth fastest swim in history, slashing more than two seconds off her previous best coming into this meet. Lenton took the silver in 1:57.51, her best individual race time over the four laps, with Marshall not far adrift taking the bronze in 1:58.11.

There was no fairytale ending for Aussie Craig Stevens in the 400 freestyle after his late inclusion on the team after the withdrawal of world record-holder Ian Thorpe. For the second time tonight, it was Scotland that took the opportunity to shine, this time in the form of David Carry.

Lining up behind the blocks shortly after his countrywoman had won a surprise gold medal, Carry took the initiative in the first half of the race. But well into the third 100 he appeared to lose his momentum and Welsh distance champ David Davies edged to the lead until the Scot came back and finished strongly to take the gold in a PR of 3:48.17 with Canadian Andrew Hurd (3:49.08) just getting past Davis (3:49.44) at the wall to snatch the silver. Craig Stevens, the fastest qualifier, finished next in 3:51.96. The winning time tonight was more than eight seconds outside Ian Thorpe’s world record set at the previous Games in Manchester.

The World record-holding South Africa men’s team set a new Games record of 3:14.97 in the 400 freestyle relay when they held off a determined Aussie team. Holding most of the lead, set up by Roland Schoeman (48.65) in the first leg, South Africa finished ahead of the Aussies (3:15.54) and Canada (3:15.74). Missing from the team that set the world record in Athens was Darian Townsend, who was replaced tonight by Johannes Zandberg. Of the Aussies, 20-year-old Eamon Sullivan, swimming second, produced an outstanding split of 48.21 with Canadian Brent Hayden almost snatching the silver for the Canadians courtesy of his 48.13 final leg. No doubt the Aussies will wonder how their team would have fared with a fully fit Ian Thorpe to bring them home.

However, the home crowd finally had a taste of gold in the women’s 200 individual medley and the good news was the winner could have come from any three of the Aussie finalists. World Champs bronze medalist Lara Carroll was first into the final leg (1:41.36) from 18-year-old rookie Stephanie Rice (1:41.86) and fastest qualifier Brooke Hanson (1:41.99). It appeared at first that the battle for gold would be between Hanson and Carroll but it was Rice that came home over the top of her more experienced teammates to take gold in an impressive 2:12.90 – 2nd fastest all-time Aussie – from Hanson (2:13.62) and Carroll (2:13.86). Rice’s effort tonight easily broke the Games record set in Manchester by Zimbabwe’s Kirsty Coventry. Jean-Marie Neethling, the 16-year-old sister of South African star player Ryk Neethling, finished sixth in her first major international final.

New Zealander Moss Burmester upset Aussie Travis Nederpelt with an all-the-way win in the 200 fly. The experienced Kiwi, who finished fourth in this event at the last Commonwealth Games never looked like failing in that telling final lap as Nederpelt gradually closed the gap. Burmester touched in an impressive 1:56.64 to set a new national and Games record with Nederpelt next in 1:57.26 and another Aussie, Josh Krogh, taking the bronze (1:59.18).

There was some very fast action in the semifinals tonight.

Women’s 50m breaststroke

World record-holder Jade Edmistone clocked 30.51 in the morning and was in front of that world record line you find on television monitors these days until the final couple of strokes to record 30.54 at night. Leisel Jones continues to improve her sprint speed with an impressive .19 PR by clocking 30.59. Edmistone will have to be at her best in the final. One is already wondering what that Jones girl will produce in her preferred races later in the week? The third Aussie, Tarnee White, was next best in 31.35.

Men’s 50m backstroke

England’s Liam Tancock, the World Champs bronze medalist, came within .04 of German Thomas Rupprath’s world record in a time of 24.80 – the second fastest one-lap dorsal swim in history. South Africa’s new freestyle relay member Johannes Zandberg was next best in 25.16 from another Englishman Matthew Clay (25.49). Aussie veteran and reigning titleholder Matt Welsh was also in the mix, clocking 25.50.

Women’s 50m butterfly

Aussies Jessicah Schipper (26.55), Danni Miatke (26.58) and Alice Mills (26.76) will be looking to continue the domination in the women’s events as they qualified fastest for the final.

FINALS RESULTS

Women’s 200m freestyle
1. MCCLATCHEY Caitlin SCO 1:57.25 GR
2. LENTON Lisbeth AUS 1:57.51
3. MARSHALL Melanie ENG 1:58.11
4. BARRATT Bronte AUS 1:59.33
5. MACKENZIE Linda AUS 1:59.49
6. JACKSON Joanne ENG 1:59.59
7. SIMARD Sophie CAN 2:00.33
8. BOYLE Lauren NZL 2:00.90

Men’s 200m Butterfly
1. BURMESTER Moss NZL 1:56.64 GR
2. NEDERPELT Travis AUS 1:57.26
3. KROGH Joshua AUS 1:59.18
4. KNOWLES Jeremy BAH 1:59.37
5. MCMILLAN Andrew NZL 2:00.61
6. BOWE Matthew ENG 2:00.62
7. RICHARDS Andrew AUS 2:01.64
8. POWELL Ian GUE 2:02.11

Women’s 200m Individual Medley
1. RICE Stephanie AUS 2:12.90 GR
2. HANSON Brooke AUS 2:13.62
3. CARROLL Lara AUS 2:13.86
4. DUNNING Terri 2:15.79
5. NORFOLK Helen NZL 2:16.49
6. NEETHLING Jean-Marie 2:17.64
7. MILEY Hannah SCO 2:17.83
8. GOULD Julie WAL 2:20.61

Men’s 400m Freestyle
1. CARRY David SCO 3:48.17
2. HURD Andrew CAN 3:49.08
3. DAVIES David WAL 3:49.44
4. STEVENS Craig AUS 3:51.96
5. BASSON Jean RSA 3:52.29
6. RANDALL Mark RSA 3:52.30
7. RENWICK Robert SCO 3:54.04
8. COCHRANE Ryan CAN 3:54.24

Men’s 4x100m Freestyle
1. South Africa RSA 3:14.97 GR SCHOEMAN Roland 48.65, FERNS Lyndon 48.43, ZANDBERG Johannes 49.44, NEETHLING Ryk 48.45
2. Australia AUS 3:15.54 KLIM Michael 49.28, SULLIVAN Eamon 48.21, HAWKE Brett 49.49, CALLUS Ashley 48.56
3. Canada CAN 3:15.74 LUPIEN Yannick 49.65, ROSE Matthew 48.85, RUSSELL Colin 49.11, HAYDEN Brent 48.13
4. England ENG 3:19.56 BURNETT Simon 48.79, DAVENPORT Ross 48.61, COZENS Christopher 49.89, HOWARD Anthony 52.27
5. Scotland SCO 3:21.65 HOUSTON Craig 51.21, COOPER Todd 50.31, RENWICK Robert 50.21, CARRY David 49.92
6. Singapore SIN 3:31.19 TAY Zhirong 51.98, TAN Lee Yu 52.33, SU Shirong 52.54, CHEAH Mingzhe 54.34
7. Jersey JER 3:34.44 MILITIS Alexis 52.96, HALKSWORTH Daniel 54.75, DU FEU Liam 53.39, LE COUILLIARD Simon 53.34
8. Guernsey GUE 3:37.07
LOWNDES Ben 55.11, OSBORNE Jeremy 53.84, HUBERT Ian 54.06, POWELL Ian 54.06

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