Another nine medals are up for grabs at the pool on Night 2 of the 2018 Commonwealth Games, with the men’s 100-metre backstroke final and 4×100 relay the headline acts. Join The Roar for live coverage and updates from 7:30pm (AEST).
After a world record in the women’s 4×100 relay for Australia last night, the men appear to be primed to do similar tonight. They recorded the fastest qualification time during the heats this morning, notching up a Commonwealth Games record with 3.12.72.
It left them four seconds quicker than second-placed Scotland, with the team of Cameron McEvoy, James Magnussen, Jack Cartwright and James Roberts destroying their opposition. Roberts is the man likely to be replaced by Kyle Chalmers this evening.
After blitzing the field last night in the 100-metre backstroke semi-final, Australian Mitch Larkin will go in as the favourite to take gold, challenged by Canadian Markus Thormeyer and fellow Aussie Bradley Woodward.
Australia carry more favourites through the evening, with Madeline Groves leading the charge for the women’s 100-metre butterfly. The national champion swam a blistering 57.22 last night, but will receive stiff opposition from Canada’s Rebecca Smith and the Isle of Man’s Charlotte Atkinson, who faded at the back end of her semi-final.
Emma McKeon, who had a huge night in the pool yesterday will also challenge for the medals.
Clyde Lewis was a surprise fastest qualifier for the men’s 400-metre Individual Medley with South African Ayrton Sweeney and Scot Mark Szaranek likely to be the men going for gold in that particular event. Not to be written off in the outside lane is Aussie Travis Mahoney.
The night starts with two short medal events. In the women’s 50-metre breaststroke, Jamaican and Commonwealth Games record holder Alia Atkinson will go in as favourite, but in a one-lap dash, anything is possible, with England’s Sarah Vasey in a good position to deliver her country another medal after a splendid first night.
South African duo Chad le Clos and Ryan Coetzee will be favourite for another one-lap dash in the 50 butterfly, while Aussie Grant Irvine can’t be forgotten about.
Australia have three chances in the men’s 200-metre freestyle final, with Kyle Chalmers, Mack Horton and Alexander Graham in the race. None performed out of their skin this morning though, with Scotland’s Ducan Scott, England’s James Guy and Welshman Calum Jarvis the favourites.
Two para-sport and three semi-finals round out what should be a sensational evening of swimming.
Be sure to join The Roar for live coverage of Night 2 at the pool from 7:30pm (AEST) and don’t forget to add a comment in the section below.
Scott Pryde
Expert
Thanks for joining me this evening on The Roar for our live coverage of the Commonwealth Games swimming. Hopefully you enjoyed it. I'll be back at 10:30am (AEST) tomorrow for the Day 3 heats. Bye for now.
Scott Pryde
Expert
Day 2 swimming medal count 1. Australia - 14 (6 gold, 4 silver, 4 bronze) 2. England - 4 (2 gold, 2 silver) 3. South Africa - 2 (1 gold, 1 bronze) 4. Scotland - 3 (1 silver, 2 bronze) =5. Jamaica - 1 (1 silver) =5. Trinidad and Tobago - 1 (1 silver) =7. New Zealand - 1 (1 bronze) =7. Canada - 1 (1 bronze)
Scott Pryde
Expert
Swimming Night 2 finals results
Men's 50-metre butterfly final 1. Chad Le Clos (South Africa) - 23.37 2. Dylan Carter (Trinidad and Tobago) - 23.67 3. Ryan Coetzee (South Africa) - 23.73 4. Grant Irvine (Australia) - 23.76 5. Daniel Hunter (New Zealand) - 23.87 6. Sam Perry (New Zealand) - 23.96 7. Jacob Peters (England) - 24.00 8. David Morgan (Australia) - 24.01 Women's 50-metre breaststroke final 1. Sarah Vasey (England) - 30.60 2. Alia Atkinson (Jamaica) - 30.76 3. Leiston Pickett (Australia) - 30.78 4. Tatjana Schoenmaker (South Africa) - 30.82 5. Jessica Hansen (Australia) - 30.83 6. Georgia Bohl (Australia) - 30.88 7. Faith Knelson (Canada) - 30.98 8. Roanne Ho (Singapore) - 31.32 Men's 200-metre freestyle final 1. Kyle Chalmers (Australia) - 1.45.56 2. Mack Horton (Australia) - 1.45.89 3. Duncan Scott (Scotland) - 1.46.30 4. James Guy (England) - 1.46.40 5. Calum Jarvis (Wales) - 1.46.53 6. Alexander Graham (Australia) - 1.47.01 7. Chad le Clos (South Africa) - 1.47.46 8. Stephen Milne (Scotland) - 1.48.52 Women's 50-metre freestyle semi-final 1 1. Shayna Jack (Australia) - 24.63 - q 2. Taylor Ruck (Canada) - 24.72 - q 3. Anna Hopkin (England) - 25.33 - q 4. Emma Chelius (South Africa) - 25.89 5. Laticia Transom (New Zealand) - 25.95 6. Jessica Jackson (England) - 26.08 7. Ting Wen Quah (Singapore) - 26.25 8. Maria Brunlehner (Kenya) - 26.63 Women's 50-metre freestyle semi-final 2 1. Cate Campbell (Australia) - 23.88 [Commonealth Games record] - q 2. Bronte Campbell (Australia) - 24.38 - q 3. Erin Gallagher (South Africa) - 25.03 - q 4. Kayla Sanchez (Canada) - 25.20 - q 5. Danielle Hill (Northern Ireland) - 25.80 - q 6. Lucy Hope (Scotland) - 25.87 7. Kalia Antoniou (Cyprus) - 25.89 8. Lauren Hew (Cayman Islands) - 26.61 Men's 100-metre breaststroke semi-final 1 1. James Wily (England) - 59.69 - q 2. James Packard (Australia) - 1.00.01 - q 3. Ross Murdoch (Scotland) - 1.00.07 - q 4. Craig Benson (Scotland) - 1.00.43 - q 5. Elijah Wall (Canada) - 1.01.47 6. Calum Tait (Scotland) - 1.01.62 7. Guy Davies (Isle of Man) - 1.04.91 8. Ludovico Corsini (Mozambique) - 1.05.07 Men's 100-metre breaststroke semi-final 2 1. Adam Peaty (England) - 58.59 [Commonwealth Games record] - q 2. Cameron Van der Burgh (South Africa) - 59.74 - q 3. Matt Wilson (Australia) - 59.89 - q 4. Andrew Willis (England) - 1.01.29 - q 5. Liam Hunter (Australia) - 1.01.45 6. Michael Houlie (South Africa) - 1.01.47 7. Taichi Vakasama Taichi (Fiji) - 1.04.39 8. Epeli Rabua Herbert (Fiji) - 1.05.09 Women's S9 100-metre backstroke final 1. Alice Tai (England) - 1.08.77 2. Ellie Cole (Australia) - 1.11.51 3. Ashleigh McConnell (Australia) - 1.15.93 4. Madeleine Scott (Australia) - 1.16.12 5. Toni Shaw (Scotland) - 1.16.79 6. Tupou Neiufi (New Zealand) - 1.17.10 7. Kiran Tak (India) - 1.47.95 Men's S9 100-metre freestyle final 1. Timothy Disken (Australia) - 56.07 2. Lewis White (England) - 56.77 3. Brenden Hall (Australia) - 57.90 4. Timothy Hodge (Australia) - 58.11 5. Chris Arbuthnott (New Zealand) - 58.65 6. Jesse Reynolds (New Zealand) - 1.00.03 7. Barry McCelements (Northern Ireland) - 1.00.34 8. Jacob Leach (England) - 1.02.04 Women's 100-metre backstroke semi-final 1 1. Emily Seebohm (Australia) - 58.95 - q 2. Taylor Ruck (Canada) - 1.00.06 - q 3. Georgia Davies (Wales) - 1.00.33 - q 4. Kathleen Dawson (Scotland) - 1.00.67 - q 5. Cassie Wild (Scotland) - 1.00.93 6. Jessica Fullalove (England) - 1.01.39 7. Anna Maine (England) - 1.02.29 8. Danielle Hill (Northern Ireland) - 1.02.62 Women's 100-metre backstroke semi-final 2 1. Kylie Masse (Canada) - 58.66 [Commonwealth Games record] - q 2. Kaylee McKeown (Australia) - 1.00.11 - q 3. Jade Hannah (Canada) - 1.00.37 - q 4. Hayley Baker (Australia) - 1.00.63 - q 5. Elizabeth Simmons (England) - 1.00.67 6. Bobbi Gichard (New Zealand) - 1.01.75 7. Naomi Ruele (Botswana) - 1.03.01 8. Nathania Van Niekerk (South Africa) - 1.03.06 Men's 400 IM final 1. Clyde Lewis (Australia) - 4.13.12 2. Mark Szaranek (Scotland) - 4.13.72 3. Lewis Calreburt (New Zealand) - 4.14.42 4. Ayrton Sweeney (South Africa) - 4.17.79 5. Bradlee Ashby (New Zealand) - 4.18.61 6. Joe Litchfield (England) - 4.19.41 7. Tristan Cote (Canada) - 4.20.29 8. Travis Mahoney (Australia) - 4.21.50 Men's 100-metre backstroke final 1. Mitch Larkin (Australia) - 53.18 2. Bradley Woodward (Australia) - 53.95 3. Markus Thormeyer (Canada) - 54.14 4. Luke Greenbank (England) - 54.37 5. Xavier Castelli (Wales) - 54.60 6. Benjamin Treffers (Australia) - 54.62 7. Corey Main (New Zealand) - 54.88 8. Conor Ferguson (Northern Ireland) - 55.01 Women's 100-metre butterfly final 1. Emma McKeon (Australia) - 56.78 [Commonwealth Games record] 2. Madeline Groves (Australia) - 57.19 3. Brianna Throssell (Australia) - 57.30 4. Penny Oleksiak (Canada) - 57.50 5. Charlotte Atkinson (Isle of Man) - 57.88 6. Rebecca Smith (Canada) - 57.91 7. Alys Thomas (Wales) - 58.06 8. Mabel Zavaros (Canada) - 58.98 Men's 4x100-metre relay final 1. Australia - 3.12.96 2. England - 3.15.25 3. Scotland - 3.15.86 4. New Zealand - 3.16.60 5. Canada - 3.16.98 6. South Africa- 3.17.27 7. Northern Ireland - 3.20.03 8. Sri Lanka - 3.24.44Scott Pryde
Expert
Men's 4x100-metre relay final 1. Australia - 3.12.96 2. England - 3.15.25 3. Scotland - 3.15.86 4. New Zealand - 3.16.60 5. Canada - 3.16.98 6. South Africa- 3.17.27 7. Northern Ireland - 3.20.03 8. Sri Lanka - 3.24.44
Scott Pryde
Expert
Cartwright into the pool third and that lead to England just cut back a fraction on the changeover. Cartwright starting to build ti back out again though, leading by almost a second to South Africa at 250. Cartwright holds more than a length through his second 50 after an ordinary turn and good luck to anyone trying to bring Chalmers back. Chalmers is well and truly ahead now. Closer to two lengths as he goes up the first 50, but he looks a little off his rhythm, leading by 2.22 seconds with 50 metres to go. He will hold on and Australia have won the 4x100-metre relay ahead of England and Scotland. Domination in the pool tonight for Australia! Six out of nine gold medals to the host nation.
Scott Pryde
Expert
Men's 4x100-metre relay final Away! It's McEvoy to lead Australia off and he has the early lead up the first 50. New Zealand, England and Scotland are also all off to a good start, but it's Australia, New Zealand then Canada at the end of the first 50 with absolutely nothing in it across the pool. McEvoy has been passed here. Scotland take the lead at the end of the first 100, but Magnussen now jumps in for Australia and gets back ahead of the Scots, the lead being four-tenths at the end of 150. England sitting in third, but the missile has had a great turn and Australia lead by a length at the end of 200.
Scott Pryde
Expert
Swimmers out. Here we go.
Scott Pryde
Expert
Men's 4x100-metre freestyle relay final startlist 1. South Africa 2. Canada 3. New Zealand 4. Australia 5. Scotland 6. England 7. Northern Ireland 8. Sri Lanka
Scott Pryde
Expert
So, just the one event left for the evening. It's a big one! The men's 4x100-metre relay.
Scott Pryde
Expert
Women's 100-metre butterfly final results 1. Emma McKeon (Australia) - 56.78 [Commonwealth Games record] 2. Madeline Groves (Australia) - 57.19 3. Brianna Throssell (Australia) - 57.30 4. Penny Oleksiak (Canada) - 57.50 5. Charlotte Atkinson (Isle of Man) - 57.88 6. Rebecca Smith (Canada) - 57.91 7. Alys Thomas (Wales) - 58.06 8. Mabel Zavaros (Canada) - 58.98
Scott Pryde
Expert
Commonwealth Games record of 56.78 for Emma McKeon as well!
Scott Pryde
Expert
What a performance for Australia. The women look over the moon with that effort to wrap up the medals.
Scott Pryde
Expert
Women's 100-metre butterfly final On the blocks in the 100-metre fly. Groves looks to be off to a good start there and is out into the early lead, with McKeon and Throssell also working well. Smith is also up there as they get to the halfway point, but it's an Australian shut out at the 50 with McKeon the front runner. The Aussies lead it back up the pool, McKeon hanging onto her lead just ahead of Throssell out in lane 1. Emma McKeon hangs on, but what a race for Australia! What a race! 1-2-3! McKeon takes the win ahead of Groves and Throssell! What a performance!
Scott Pryde
Expert
Women's 100-metre butterfly final startlist 1. Brianna Throssell (Australia) 2. Alys Thomas (Wales) 3. Emma McKeon (Australia) 4. Madeline Groves (Australia) 5. Rebecca Smith (Canada) 6. Charlotte Atkinson (Isle of Man) 7. Penny Oleksiak (Canada) 8. Mabel Zavaros (Canada)
Scott Pryde
Expert
Swimmers on their way out for the 100 fly final now.
Scott Pryde
Expert
So, as has been the case all night, just running a little bit behind. Medal presentation for the 400IM on at the moment, then we will move into the women's 100 fly.
Scott Pryde
Expert
Men's 100-metre backstroke final results 1. Mitch Larkin (Australia) - 53.18 2. Bradley Woodward (Australia) - 53.95 3. Markus Thormeyer (Canada) - 54.14 4. Luke Greenbank (England) - 54.37 5. Xavier Castelli (Wales) - 54.60 6. Benjamin Treffers (Australia) - 54.62 7. Corey Main (New Zealand) - 54.88 8. Conor Ferguson (Northern Ireland) - 55.01
Scott Pryde
Expert
Larkin wins it in 53.18, taking the race by about eight-tenths of a second. Markus Thormeyer, the Canadian, had a sensational second half of the race to finish in third.
Scott Pryde
Expert
Men's 100-metre backstroke final Larkin looks to be off to a good start int he 100-metre backstroke final here. It's the yellow caps out in front with Larkin, Woodward and Treffers leading up the first 50. Ferguson recovered nicely and he is into second at the end of the first 50, but he didn't get a great turn. Larkin starts to open up his lead back up the pool and the Aussie isn't going to be caught. He has half a body length with about 15 metres to go and holds on ahead of Woodward who takes Silver. Another Australian 1-2. Mitch Larkin the star of the show, grabbing a fourth gold for the day for Australia.
Scott Pryde
Expert
Men's 100-metre backstroke final startlist 1. Corey Main (New Zealand) 2. Luke Greenbank (England) 3. Bradley Woodward (Australia) 4. Mitch Larkin (Australia) 5. Markus Thormeyer (Canada) 6. Conor Ferguson (Northern Ireland) 7. Benjamin Treffers (Australia) 8. Xavier Castelli (Wales)