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NEWS ARTICLE
Monday March 20, 2006 Swimming :: Hamish Jones


Know no brakes - Liesel style


Commonwealth Games 2006 @ Sports Australia Think the golden girls had gone as fast they could? Think again.

In a simply remarkable night at the pool, Australia added no less than 14 medals to its bulging swag to stamp its authority on the pool.

On a night where so many were champions, Liesel Jones stood aloft as arguably the best breaststroker of all time.

The 21 year old set a searing pace in the 100 metres breaststroke final and touched the wall in 1.05.09, smashing her own world record in the process. Jade Edmistone beat Scotland's Kirsty Balfour to the silver medal as she arrived at the wall a full two seconds after Jones.

After the race, a beaming Jones said she hoped coach Stephan Widmar would be satisfied with the record breaking performance.

Not to be outshone, Libby Lenton sealed her second gold of the meet as she held off Jodie Henry to win the 50 metres freestyle final in a time of 24.61 seconds. Lenton now holds five of the top six fastest freestyle swims in history. Aussie Alice Mills snatched the bronze to complete the sweep.

It was triple the celebrations again in the women's 50 metres backstroke as Sophie Edington beat Giaan Rooney to the wall in a games record time of 28.42 seconds. Tay Zimmer sealed the clean sweep for Australia with bronze.

A little known swimmer before this meet, Joanna Fargus came up trumps to win gold in the 200 metres backstroke final for Australia.

Fargus, who was born in Hong Kong, competed for England in the 2002 Manchester Games and denied Australia gold and silver in several races. World swimming body FINA granted Fargus permission to swim for Australia in these games and the 24 year old holds dual British/Australian citizenship.

Despite an illness-riddled preparation, Michael Klim fought his way into a silver medal in the 100 metres butterfly final. Klim was beaten by Papua New Guinea's Ryan Pini who claimed his country's first Commonwealth gold medal.

In the men's 100 metres backstroke final veteran Matt Welsh had to settle for silver. Welsh turns 30 later this year and his two silver medals at these games might reignite the possibility of retirement.

But just as the crowd had clapped their hands raw and screamed into hoarseness, the fabulous princesses of the pool had one more golden statement to make in the women's 4 x 100 freestyle relay.

Newcomer Shayne Reese was joined on the pool deck by the experience of Jodie Henry, Libby Lenton and Alice Mills.

In a games record time of 3.36.49, the Australians were home and dry before England caught up seven seconds later.

But the night belonged to Liesel.

AUSTRALIAN MEDALS:

Women's 50m Freestyle
GOLD- Libby Lenton
SILVER- Jodie Henry
BRONZE- Alice Mills

Women's 100m Breaststroke
GOLD- Liesel Jones (WR)
SILVER- Jade Edmistone

Women's 50m Backstroke
GOLD- Sophie Edington (GR)
SILVER- Giaan Rooney
Bronze- Tayliah Zimmer

Women's 4x100m Freestyle Relay
GOLD- Australia (Lenton, Henry, Mills, Reese)

Women's 400m Freestyle
BRONZE- Bronte Barratt

Women's 200m Backstroke
GOLD- Joanna Fargus

Men's 100m Butterfly
SILVER- Michael Klim

Men's 100m Backstroke
SILVER- Matthew Welsh

Men's 50m Breastroke
BRONZE- Brendan Rickard

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