Commonwealth Games, Day Five Para Events: Kirralee Hayes, Stephen Clegg Mine Gold in 50 Freestyle (S13)
Heading into Tuesday’s final of the 50-meter freestyle (S13) at the Commonwealth Games, Australian Kirralee Hayes owned a pair of medals from the competition – one in 2022 and one from earlier this week. When she exited the water, her tally stood at three medals, the latest of the golden variety.
In dominant fashion, Hayes comfortably prevailed in the one-lap sprint, clocking a time of 27.63. That performance gave Hayes a sizable margin over South Africa’s Danika Vyncke, who earned the silver medal in 28.41. Australia placed a second athlete on the podium in Jenna Jones, who was the bronze medalist in 29.02.
Hayes was the bronze medalist in the 100 freestyle (S13) earlier this week and was the bronze medalist in the 50 freestyle (S13) at the 2022 edition of the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham.
Men’s 50 Freestyle (S13)
A tightly bunched final ended with Scotland’s Stephen Clegg capturing the gold medal, thanks to a swim of 24.73. A five-time Paralympic Games medalist, Clegg moved up a step on the podium from his last Commonwealth Games appearance in the 50 freestyle. Four years ago in Birmingham, Clegg was the silver medalist in the event.
Clegg had to battle the entire lap to secure victory, as he was challenged by South Africa’s Nathan Hendricks and Canada’s Nicolas Turbide. Hendricks picked up the silver medal in 24.84 while Turbide grabbed bronze in 24.96. Just outside of the medals was England’s Matthew Redfern (25.36).