By Stephen J. Thomas<\/p>\n
MELBOURNE, Australia, March 19. WORLD champion Jessicah Schipper maintained her ascendancy over teammate Libby Lenton in a closely contested 100 butterfly final in front of a packed house at the Commonwealth Games in Melbourne.<\/p>\n
Lenton produced her customary powerful start but by the 50-mark the 19-year-old Schipper turned in 27.09 to edge to in front by just .11 over her rival with the third Aussie, Alice Mills, in third place. Schipper held her form and despite a long glide to the wall took the gold in a Games record 57.48. Lenton took the silver in 57.80 and Canadian Audrey Lacroix spoiled the prospect of a third Aussie women\u2019s trifecta by taking the bronze and lowering her national record for the third time at this meet to 58.89 to edge out a tiring Mills 59.12 (PR 58.16). <\/p>\n
Simon Burnett, England's 22-year-old rising star, shone tonight, better make that with a bullet after tonight\u2019s impressive victory in the 100 freestyle over his more decorated South African rivals Ryk Neethling and Roland Schoeman. It was the two Springboks that led at the 50 with Schoeman at 23.21 over Neethling at 23.28. Burnett, the 200 silver medalist at this meet, was tied for third with Canada\u2019s Brent Hayden in 23.53, not far adrift. Aussie Eamon Sullivan was a touch further back in 23.71. <\/p>\n
However, the University of Arizona based Englishman turned on the gas in the home straight and blew away his rivals clocking a British and Games record of 48.57. Neethling took the silver in 49.20 with Schoeman the bronze in 49.24, reversing their medal standings at the World Champs last year. Hayden took fourth (49.38) ahead of Sullivan (49.58) who was the best of the three Aussies. <\/p>\n
David Carry added a second gold medal to his 400 freestyle effort on Day One when he took out the 400 IM with a determined finish in the freestyle leg. To make it sweeter for the Scottish supporters in the crowd, his teammate Euan Dale also got past Aussie Travis Nederpelt in the freestyle leg to give them the double. David Carry won in 4:15.98 with Dale clocking in at 4:17.15, just ahead of Nederpelt. <\/p>\n
England\u2019s Rebecca Cooke took her second consecutive 800 freestyle Commonwealth Games title with a solid win in 8:29.50 to make up somewhat for a disappointing World Champs last year. Cooke took the lead around the 300 mark and was never headed although Aussie newcomer Melissa Gorman made up good ground in the final 100 to take the silver in a PR of 8:30.79. Canada\u2019s World Champs silver medalist Brittany Reimer was quite disappointing, well back in 8:38.05 to just take the bronze ahead of Keri-Anne Payne of England in 8:38.24. <\/p>\n
In semifinal action tonight:<\/p>\n
Women\u2019s 50 freestyle<\/b><\/p>\n
The Aussie trio of Jodie Henry (25.32), Alice Mills (25.40) and Libby Lenton (25.50) were the fastest qualifiers for the final and should fight out the medals.<\/p>\n
Women\u2019s 100 breaststroke<\/b><\/p>\n
World record-holder Leisel Jones set a new Games record when she clocked an effortless 1:07.33 to be the fastest qualifier in the final. Teammates Jade Edmistone (1:07.93) and Tarnee White (1:08.34) will be the favorites for the medals although Scot Kirsty Balfour (1:08.45) may be on a high after her exciting silver medal performance in the four-lap race.<\/p>\n
Women\u2019s 50 backstroke<\/b><\/p>\n
World champ Giaan Rooney posted a new Games record of 28.42 to lead fellow Aussies Sophie Edington (28.79) and Tayliah Zimmer (28.97) into the dorsal sprint final.<\/p>\n
Men\u2019s 50 breaststroke<\/b><\/p>\n
Aussie Brenton Rickard was fastest qualifier in a competitive field, posting a time of 28.13. England\u2019s Darren Mew was next (28.14) with Canada\u2019s Scott Dickens (28.33) and reigning titleholder James Gibson (28.40) behind, along with teammate Chris Cook. Cook, the 100 breast gold medalist (28.56), is also in the mix for medals. <\/p>\n
Men\u2019s 100 butterfly<\/b><\/p>\n
Aussie veterans Michael Klim and Adam Pine will be in the center lanes for tomorrow night\u2019s final. Klim, in particular, clocked an impressive 52.86, his best time over the distance for several years that have been hampered by back and shoulder injuries. Adam Pine who is competing at a record fourth Commonwealth Games splashed 52.96 and was third fastest qualifier. Splitting the two Aussies was Papua New Guinea swimmer Ryan Pini (52.91). The four-lap gold medalist, Kiwi Moss Burmester was also a qualifier in 53.15. <\/p>\n
Men\u2019s 100 Backstroke<\/b><\/p>\n
Another Aussie veteran Matt Welsh will be in for a tough struggle in his home pool despite recording the fastest qualifying time of 54.82. He will have to contend particularly with England\u2019s Liam Tancock (54.92) as well as South Africa\u2019s Johannes Zandberg (55.41) and Scot Gregor Tait (55.45).<\/p>\n
FINALS RESULTS<\/p>\n
Men\u2019s 100m freestyle:
\n1. BURNETT Simon ENG 48.57
\n2. NEETHLING Ryk RSA 49.20
\n3. SCHOEMAN Roland RSA 49.24
\n4. HAYDEN Brent CAN 49.38
\n5. SULLIVAN Eamon AUS 49.58
\n6. CALLUS Ashley AUS 49.78
\n7. MONK Kenrick AUS 49.94
\n8. LUPIEN Yannick CAN 51.07 <\/p>\n
Men\u2019s 400m individual medley:
\n1. CARRY David SCO 4:15.98
\n2. DALE Euan SCO 4:17.15
\n3. NEDERPELT Travis AUS 4:17.24
\n4. KENT Dean NZL 4:18.20
\n5. ALLY Bradley BAR 4:21.13
\n6. HAFFIELD Thomas WAL 4:25.79
\n7. KNOWLES Jeremy BAH 4:26.72
\n8. FRASER Shaune CAY 4:29.00 <\/p>\n
Women\u2019s 100m butterfly:
\n1. SCHIPPER Jessicah AUS 57.48
\n2. LENTON Lisbeth AUS 57.80
\n3. LACROIX Audrey CAN 58.89
\n4. MILLS Alice AUS 59.21
\n5. DUNNING Terri ENG 59.34
\n6. LOOTS Amanda RSA 59.93
\n7. LOWE Jemma WAL 1:00.52
\n8. TAO Li SIN 1:00.63 <\/p>\n
Women\u2019s 800m freestyle:
\n1. COOKE Rebecca ENG 8:29.50
\n2. GORMAN Melissa AUS 8:30.79
\n3. REIMER Brittany CAN 8:38.05
\n4. PAYNE Keri-Anne ENG 8:38.24
\n5. TROTT Wendy RSA 8:39.18
\n6. PATON Sarah AUS 8:45.35
\n7. SOUTH Caroline AUS 8:46.30
\n8. CARLIN Jazmin WAL 8:49.70 <\/p>\n
Women\u2019s 100m freestyle EAD:
\n1. DU TOIT Natalie RSA 1:01.81
\n2. GRANDMAISON Valerie CAN 1:01.02
\n3. POLINARIO Anne CAN 1:03.10
\n4. HENRY Rhiannon WAL 1:02.51
\n5. LEWIS Katrina AUS 1:04.43
\n6. GOTELL Chelsey CAN 1:02.77
\n7. WATT Prudence AUS 1:02.95
\n8. CLARKE Lichelle AUS 1:13.05<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
By Stephen J. Thomas MELBOURNE, Australia, March 19. WORLD champion Jessicah Schipper maintained her ascendancy over teammate Libby Lenton in a closely contested 100 butterfly final in front of a<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":false,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"dois","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[10,4],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-11044","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-world","category-zzzzzzzzz"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"yoast_head":"\r\n