Know no brakes - Liesel style
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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