2018 Commonwealth Games: Day 1 Prelims Live Recap

2018 COMMONWEALTH GAMES

• Thursday, April 5th – Tuesday, April 10th (swimming)
• Optus Aquatic Centre, Gold Coast, Australia
• Prelims at 10:30am local (8:30pm previous night EDT)
• Finals at 7:30pm local (5:30am EDT)
• Official Commonwealth Games website
• Entries
• Meet Schedule + Results
• Live Stream (Canada)
• Live Stream (US)
• Live Stream (Australia)

The opening session of the 2018 Commonwealth Games is set to get underway from the Gold Coast in Australia, with ten different events on the docket for prelims. The men will contest the 400 free, 50 fly, 100 back and 200 breast, along with a single heat of the S14 200 freestyle. The women will have the 400 IM, 200 free, 50 breast and 100 fly, along with one heat in the S7 50 fly.

The meet can be streamed on DAZN, though it may only be accessible to Canadian viewers.

Women’s 400 IM Prelims

• CG Record: 4:31.76, Hannah Miley (SCO), 2014

1. Hannah Miley, Scotland, 4:38.20
2. Aimee Willmott, England, 4:39.19
3. Meg Bailey, Australia, 4:41.51
4. Blair Evans, Australia, 4:41.54
5. Sarah Darcel, Canada, 4:41.55
6. Erika Seltenreich-Hodgson, Canada, 4:41.81
7. Mary-Sophie Harvey, Canada, 4:43.40
8. Abbie Wood, England, 4:44.39

Two-time defending champion Hannah Miley topped the 2nd preliminary heat in the women’s 400 IM in a time of 4:38.20, giving her the top seed for tonight’s (or tomorrow morning, depending where you are) final. She took over the lead on breast, passing Canada’s Sarah Darcel and England’s Aimee Willmott. Willmott took 2nd in the heat in 4:39.19, qualifying her 2nd overall, and Darcel’s 4:41.55 gives her the 5th seed.

Erika Seltenreich-Hodgson of Canada led the 1st heat for the majority of the race, but was run down at the end by Australians Meg Bailey and Blair Evans. Bailey (4:41.51) and Evans (4:41.54) qualify 3rd and 4th, with Seltenreich-Hodgson in 6th.

Men’s 400 Free Prelims

• CG Record: 3:40.08, Ian Thorpe (AUS), 2002

1. Mack Horton, Australia, 3:47.93
2. Daniel Jervis, Wales, 3:48.18
3. Jack McLoughlin, Australia, 3:48.31
4. David McKeon, Australia, 3:48.86
5. James Guy, England, 3:50.23
6. Jeremy Bagshaw, Canada, 3:50.76
7. Stephen Milne, England, 3:51.65
8. Welson Sim, Malaysia, 3:51.78

The big guns cruised their way through the prelim heats of the men’s 400 free, with 2016 Olympic champion Mack Horton of Australia taking the top seed in 3:47.93. Horton edged out Daniel Jervis of Wales and his countryman David McKeon in heat 2, as they advance through 2nd and 4th overall.

The third Aussie, Jack McLoughlin, won heat 1 to qualify 3rd in 3:48.31, with England’s James Guy cruising to the 5th seed in 3:50.23.

Women’s 200 Free Prelims

• CG Record: 1:55.57, Emma McKeon (AUS), 2014

1. Ariarne Titmus, Australia, 1:57.02
2. Emma McKeon, Australia, 1:57.40
3. Taylor Ruck, Canada, 1:57.44
4. Eleanor Faulkner, England, 1:57.87
5. Holly Hibbott, England, 1:58.10
6. Penny Oleksiak, Canada, 1:58.21
7. Leah Neale, Australia, 1:58.91
8. Lucy Hope, Scotland, 1:59.18

Australians Ariarne Titmus and Emma McKeon took the top two seeds in the women’s 200 free, winning heats 2 and 3 respectively. Titmus was 1:57.02 for the top spot, while McKeon (1:57.40) edged out Canadian Taylor Ruck (1:57.44) in the last heat. Ruck advances 3rd, with her teammate Penny Oleksiak moving on in 6th in 1:58.21.

McKeon and Ruck had the best opening speed in the field, both out in 56s, but Titmus had the best back half by far closing sub-1:00.

Oleksiak touched 2nd to England’s Eleanor Faulkner (1:57.87) in heat 1. Holly Hibbott of England qualified 6th, Leah Neale of Australia gave the Aussies three representatives in the final in 7th, and Scotland’s Lucy Hope rounds out the field in 1:59.18.

Men’s S14 200 Freestyle Prelims

1. Daniel Fox, Australia, 2:00.40
2. Liam Schluter, Australia, 2:00.44
3. Mitchell Kilduff, Australia, 2:01.02
4. Thomas Hamer, England, 2:01.08
5. Jack Thomas, Wales, 2:03.17
6. Alex Rosser, Wales, 2:07.34
7. Jin Ping Ting, Malaysia, 2:22.52
8. Liang Chou Han, Singapore, 2:25.09

The Australians qualified 1-2-3 in the men’s S14 200 free, led by Daniel Fox in 2:00.44. Thomas Hamer of England (2:01.08) was 4th, and appears the only one with a shot at breaking up the all-Aussie podium.

Women’s S7 50 Fly Prelims

1. Eleanor Robinson, England, 36.38
2. Sarah Mehain, Canada, 37.24
3. Tiffany Thomas Kane, Australia, 38.48
4. Tess Routliffe, Canada, 38.49

Eleanor Robinson of England leads the group of four in the women’s S7 50 fly, putting up a time of 36.38 to top Canada’s Sarah Mehain (37.24) by nearly a second.

Men’s 50 Fly Prelims

• CG Record: 22.93, Ben Proud (ENG), 2014

1. Chad Le Clos, South Africa, 23.53
2. Dylan Carter, Trinidad and Tobago, 23.62
3. Ryan Coetzee, South Africa, 23.94
4. Grant Irvine, Australia, 23.95
5. Daniel Hunter, New Zealand, 24.01
6. Jacob Peters, England, 24.19
7. David Morgan, Australia, 24.21
8. Sam Perry, New Zealand, 24.23
9. Sean Campsie, Scotland, 24.32
10. Bradley Tandy, South Africa, 24.41
11. Calum Bain, Northern Ireland, 24.45
12. Scott Mclay, Scotland, 24.49
13. Virdhawal Khade, India, 24.52
14. Josiah Binnema, Canada, 24.57
15. Ralph Govieia, Zambia, 24.62
16. Abeku Jackson, Ghana, 24.68

Defending champion Ben Proud of England blasted a 22.84 in the last heat of the men’s 50 fly, breaking his own Games record. However, he was disqualified shortly after, in what looks to be a false start. Read more about Proud’s DQ here.

That gave Chad Le Clos of South Africa the top spot in prelims at 23.53, with Dylan Carter of Trinidad, another South African Ryan Coetzee, and Australia’s Grant Irvine joining him under 24 seconds.

Other notable names advancing to the semis include Daniel Hunter of New Zealand, David Morgan of New Zealand, and Bradley Tandy of South Africa. Another kiwi, Sam Perry, advanced in 8th after swimming in the first heat.

Women’s 50 Breast Prelims

• CG Record: 30.17, Alia Atkinson (JAM), 2014

1. Sarah Vasey, England, 30.77
2. Leiston Pickett, Australia, 30.87
3. Tatjana Schoenmaker, South Africa, 30.92
4. Jessica Hansen, Australia, 30.93
5. Alia Atkinson, Jamaica, 30.98
6. Georgia Bohl, Australia, 31.00
7. Faith Knelson, Canada, 31.19
8. Chloe Tutton, Wales, 31.24
9. Carrie Scott, Scotland, 31.48
10. Rachel Nicol, Canada, 31.54
11. Roanne Ho, Singapore, 31.61
12. Laura Kinley, Isle of Man, 31.99
13. Jocelyn Ulyett, England, 32.14
14. Tilka Paljak, Zambia, 32.16
15. Bronagh Ryan, New Zealand, 32.18
16. Molly Renshaw, England, 32.22

Sarah Vasey of England won the last heat of the women’s 50 breast, giving her the top spot in prelims in a time of 30.77. Joining her under 31 seconds were Australians Leiston Pickett and Jessica Hansen, South African Tatjana Schoenmaker, and defending champ Alia Atkinson of Jamaica.

Georgia Bohl of Australia advanced in 6th in 31.00, Canadian youngster Faith Knelson was 7th in 31.19, and Chloe Tutton of Wales sits 8th in 31.48. Another notable name, England’s Molly Renshaw, rounds out the 16 semi-final qualifiers in 32.22.

Men’s 100 Back Prelims

• CG Record: 53.12, Chris Walker-Hebborn (ENG), 2014

1. Mitch Larkin, Australia, 54.02
2. Luke Greenbank, England, 54.62
3. Bradley Woodward, Australia, 54.71
4. Corey Main, New Zealand, 54.99
5. Elliot Clogg, England, 55.08
6. Markus Thormeyer, Canada, 55.26
7. Ben Treffers, Australia, 55.30
8. Xavier Castelli, Wales, 55.51
9. Conor Ferguson, Northern Ireland, 55.54
10. Calvyn Justus, South Africa, 55.69
11. Craig McNally, Scotland, 56.19
12. Martin Binedell, South Africa, 56.37
13. Harry Shalamon, JEY, 56.41
14. Jason Arthur, Ghana, 56.52
15. Srihari Nataraj, India, 56.71
16. Thomas Hollingsworth, GGY, 57.61

Mitch Larkin, Luke Greenbank and Bradley Woodward went 1-2-3 in the last heat of the men’s 100 back, posting the top three times of the morning to lead the way into tonight’s semi-finals. Larkin’s 54.02 leads the field by six tenths.

Corey Main of New Zealand joined them under 55, winning heat 2 in 54.99, and England’s Elliot Clogg claimed heat 1 in 55.08 for the 5th seed.

Women’s 100 Fly Prelims

• CG Record: 57.40, Katerine Savard (CAN), 2014

1. Madeline Groves, Australia, 57.77
2. Emma McKeon, Australia, 58.04
3. Alys Thomas, Wales, 58.48
4. Penny Oleksiak, Canada, 58.50
5. Rebecca Smith, Canada, 58.51
6. Brianna Throssell, Australia, 58.96
7. Charlotte Atkinson, IOM, 58.97
8. Erin Gallagher, South Africa, 59.25
9. Mabel Zavaros, Canada, 59.44
10. Harriet Jones, Wales, 59.56
11. Keanna Macinnes, Scotland, 59.63
12. Laura Stephens, England, 59.68
13. Harriet West, Wales, 59.77
14. Helena Gasson, New Zealand, 1:00.00
15. Georgia Marris, New Zealand, 1:00.43
16. Emily Large, England, 1:00.46

Australia’s Madeline Groves edged out teammate Emma McKeon to win the third and final heat of the women’s 100 fly, as they qualify 1-2 in 57.77 and 58.04 respectively. Alys Thomas of Wales took 3rd in the heat and 3rd overall in 58.48.

Heat 1 and heat 2 were both won by just .01, with Penny Oleksiak topping teammate Rebecca Smith 58.50 to 58.51 in heat 2, and Brianna Throssell beating out Charlotte Atkinson 58.96 to 58.97 in heat 1. Those were the seven swimmers who cracked 59 seconds.

Men’s 200 Breast Prelims

• CG Record: 2:07.30, Ross Murdoch (SCO), 2014

1. Ross Murdoch, Scotland, 2:08.77
2. Matthew Wilson, Australia, 2:09.74
3. James Wilby, England, 2:10.07
4. Andrew Willis, England, 2:10.52
5. Calum Tait, Scotland, 2:10.83
6. Eli Wall, Canada, 2:11.47
7. George Harley, Australia, 2:11.62
8. Craig Benson, Scotland, 2:12.13

Scotland’s Ross Murdoch, the 2014 champion, had a very impressive swim to lead the men’s 200 breast prelims in 2:08.77. Australia’s Matthew Wilson was the only other man to break 2:10, coming in at 2:09.74.

England’s James Wilby and Andrew Willis were both 2:10 for 3rd and 4th, and Calum Tait of Scotland was as well as he sits 5th. Eli Wall of Canada had an impressive swim to finish 2nd to Wilson in the first heat and qualify 6th in 2:11.47.