Commonwealth Games – Day 1 Prelims: Ariarne Titmus and Summer McIntosh Open Strongly; Emma McKeon Is Back

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Commonwealth Games – Day 1 Prelims: Ariarne Titmus and Summer McIntosh Open Strongly; Emma McKeon Is Back

The Commonwealth Games are underway with the first morning of preliminary action in Birmingham, England. The session is expected to be calm, with event favorites not required to exert too much energy to advance to the next round. Events up to 100 meters in length will feature a prelims-semifinals-finals format, while events 200 meters and longer will follow a prelims-finals setup.

Swimming World will have an event-by-event recap of the prelims which will be updated after the conclusion of each discipline.

Men’s 400 Freestyle

Reigning world champion Elijah Winnington, who stormed down last lap in Budapest to earn that gold medal, qualified for the final as the No. 3 seed in 3:48.32. He followed Northern Ireland’s Daniel Wiffen (3:47.34) and 2016 Olympic champion Mack Horton (3:47.54) of Australia. Winnington was timed in 3:41 at the World Champs and will be the heavy favorite during the final.

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Women’s 400 Individual Medley

Only 10 women took to the starting blocks in the 400 medley, and it was Canadian youngster Summer McIntosh leading the way into the evening final. Like Winnington, McIntosh is the reigning world champion and comfortably advanced behind an effort of 4:36.72. She was followed by Aussie Kiah Melverton, who touched the wall in 4:41.44. McIntosh has been sub-4:30 this year and was 4:32.04 in her world-title swim.

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Women’s 200 Freestyle

The world record is expected to be under threat in the final, thanks to the presence of Ariarne Titmus. The Australian ace and reigning Olympic gold medalist covered her opening swim in an easy 1:55.68. The world record sits at 1:52.98 to Italian Federica Pellegrini, who managed that time during the super-suit era of 2009. Titmus’ countrywomen, Mollie O’Callaghan (1:56.65) and Madison Wilson (1:56.93) will try to make it an Aussie sweep of the podium.

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Men’s 50 Butterfly

Best known for his prowess in the 100 freestyle, Aussie Kyle Chalmers has made it known that he is eager to return to his youth roots and excel once again in the butterfly. Well, he took the top seed for the semifinals of the 50 fly with a swim of 23.45. Chalmers will be challenged by England’s Ben Proud, a pure sprinter who went 23.48 and figures to have much more waiting for the upcoming rounds. Also lurking is Dylan Carter of Trinidad & Tobago, as he clocked a 23.59.

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Women’s 50 Breaststroke

South African Lara van Niekerk produced the first Commonwealth Games record of the meet when she dipped under the 30-second barrier and finished in 29.82. Van Niekerk is a rising star who, along with Tatjana Schoenmaker, has given South Africa an impressive one-two combo in the 50 and 100 breaststroke events. Imogen Clark of England was second in the prelims in 30.26, with Australian Chelsea Hodges (30.66) and Schoenmaker (30.76) next in the order.

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Men’s 100 Backstroke

For the second straight event, a South African was on top of the results, with Pieter Coetze the lone swimmer to break 54 seconds. Coetze went 53.91. Brodie Williams of England was next at 54.49 and Australia’s Bradley Woodward and Englands’s Luke Greenbank followed with respective swims of 54.54 and 54.55.

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Women’s 100 Butterfly

Australian Emma McKeon, who bypassed the World Championships, made her return to international racing by taking the top seed for the semifinals. McKeon, who won seven medals at last summer’s Olympic Games, checked in at 57.34. She’ll have a battle as the rounds progress from Canadian Maggie Mac Neil, the reigning Olympic champ. Mac Neil did not contest any solo events at Worlds and covered her return to the 100 fly in 57.94. Brianna Throssell of Australia was third in 58.40.

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Men’s 200 Breaststroke

It was cruise control for world-record holder Zac Stubblety-Cook, as he moved through his heat in 2:09.88 to take the top seed for the night session. Scotland’s Ross Murdoch was next in 2:11.35 and England’s James Wilby was third with a swim of 2:11.76. Last month, Stubblety-Cook backed up his Olympic crown with gold at the World Champs, and his trifecta should be completed in a few hours.

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Mixed 400 Freestyle Relay

Australia easily grabbed the top seed in the opening relay of the competition, as the foursome of Flynn Southam (49.21), Zac Incerti (48.02), Meg Harris (52.59) and Madison Wilson (52.32) combined for a mark of 3:22.14. The Aussies were followed by England (3:28.03) and Canada (3:28.20). It will be interesting to see who Australia brings onto the relay at night, as options such as Kyle Chalmers and Emma McKeon are available, among others.

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Meet Results

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