2022 COMMONWEALTH GAMES
Day 5 of the 2022 Commonwealth Games will feature preliminaries of the men’s 200 back, women’s 200 fly, men’s 50 free, women’s 50 back, mixed 4×100 medley relay, and the men’s 1500 free. The men’s 1500 free prelims have just two heats, which will take place at the end of this morning’s session.
Today will mark yet another women’s backstroke thriller, as we’ll get to see Australian Kaylee McKeownthe Commonwealth Record holder, and Canada’s kylie masse go head-to-head in the women’s 50’s back. Although it may not happen this morning, the Commonwealth Games Record appears poised to go down in that event, as both McKeown and Masse have been well under the record mark of 27.56. For that matter, Australian sprinter Mollie O’Callaghan has been under the record mark as well, coming in at 27.46, while Wales’ Medi Harris ties the record with her seed time.
Without Canadian youngster Summer McIntosh, the women’s 200 fly field is wide open, seeing 6 swimmers seeded at 2:07 and 2:08. Those swimmers include Alys Thoms, the Commonwealth Games Record holder and reigning Commonwealth Games champion in the event. The top seed coming in is Australian Elizabeth Dekker, entering at 2:07.01.
The men’s 200 back has reigning Commonwealth Games champion Mitch Larkin of Australia leading the field by a slim margin over England’s Luke Greenbank. Meanwhile, the men’s 50 free has TTO’s Dylan Carter 1st on the psych sheet by a wide margin.
MEN’S 200 BACKSTROKE – HEATS
- World Record: 1:51.92, Aaron Peirsol (USA) – 2009
- Commonwealth Record: 1:53.17, Mitch Larkin (AUS) – 2015
- Commonwealth Games Record: 1:55.58, James Goddard (ENG) – 2010
- 2018 Commonwealth Champion: Mitch Larkin (AUS) – 1:56.10
Top 8 Qualifiers:
- Luke Greenbank (ENG) – 1:56.33
- Brodie Paul Williams (ENG) – 1:57.88
- Bradley Woodward (AUS) – 1:57.99
- Pieter Coetze (RSA) – 1:58.08
- Craig McNally (SCO) – 1:58.36
- Joshua Edwards-Smith (AUS) – 1:58.74
- Mitch Larkin (AUS) – 1:59.59
- Jay Lelloitt (ENG) – 2:00.65
England’s Luke Greenbank led men’s 200 back prelims this morning handily, swimming a solid 1:56.33. I have led English teammate Brodie Paul Williams, who touched in 1:57.88. Greenbank built his lead over the field on the first 100, flipping in 56.50 at the 100m mark, then swam to 59.83 coming home.
Greenbank has set himself up nicely to go after the Commonwealth Games Record tonight. The record stands at 1:55.58 and was set in 2010.
Notably, reigning Commonwealth champion Mitch Larkin out of Australia was 7th this morning, though he still safely advanced to tonight’s final by over second. Larkin just never seemed to have it this morning, taking the race out in a very pedestrian 58.02 on the first 100, then came home 1:01.57.
New Zealand’s Andrew Jeffcoat was also notably off this morning, swimming at 2:03.57. Jeffcoat was seeded to make finals fairly easily, however, he added 5 seconds to his time this morning, fading hard as he split 32.04 and 32.21 on the final 2 50s of the race.
WOMEN’S 200 BUTTERFLY – HEATS
- World Record: 2:01.81, Zige Liu (CHN) – 2009
- Commonwealth Record: 2:03.41, Jessica Schipper (AUS) – 2009
- Commonwealth Games Record: 2:05.45, alys thomas – 2018
- 2018 Commonwealth Champion: alys thomas (WAL) – 2:05.45
Top 8 Qualifiers:
- Elizabeth Dekkers (AUS) – 2:07.62
- Laura Stephens (ENG) – 2:09.60
- Abbey Connor (AUS) – 2:09.69
- Holly Hibbett (ENG) – 2:10.49
- Brianna Throssell (AUS) – 2:10.92
- Mabel Zavaros (CAN) – 2:10.94
- Keanna Louise Macinnes (SCO) – 2:11.15
- alys thomas (WAL) – 2:11.43
Top seeded Elizabeth Dekkers of Australia was dominant this morning, coming in half a second off her seed to time to take the middle lane for finals tonight. Dekkers swam a great race, splitting 32.26, 32.95, and 33.35 on the final 3 50s respectively.
England’s Laura Stephens was out just 0.10 seconds slower than Dekkers on the first 100, splitting 1:01.42. She didn’t hold up quite as well as Dekkers, splitting 1:08.28 on the final 100. 17-year-old Australian Abbey Connor took 3rd this morning.
Reigning champion and Commonwealth Games Record holder alys thomas nearly missed out on the final, taking 8th this morning with a 2:11.43. That time was a far cry from the 31-year-old’s personal best of 2:05.45. Thomas was out quickly, splitting 1:01.88, but fell apart coming home, splitting 1:09.55 on the final 100.
MEN’S 50 FREESTYLE – HEATS
- World Record: 20.91, Cesar Cielo (BRA) – 2009
- Commonwealth Record: 21.11, Ben Proud (GBR) – 2018
- Commonwealth Games Record: 21.30, Ben Proud (ENG) – 2018
- 2018 Commonwealth Champion: Ben Proud (ENG) – 21.35
Top 16 Qualifiers:
- Lewis Burras (ENG) – 22.09
- Tom Nowakowski (AUS) – 22.42
- Ben Proud (ENG) – 22.44
- Dylan Carter (TTO) – 22.48
- Josh Liendo (CAN) – 22.49
- Jonathan Eu Jin Tan (SGP) – 22.53
- Lamar Taylor (BAH) – 22.59
- Tzen Wei Teong (SGP) – 22.62
- Grayson Bell (AUS) – 22.64
- Dan Jones (WAL) – 22.65
- Mikkel Lee (SGP) – 22.69
- Flynn Southam (AUS) – 22.79
- Adam Barrett (ENG) – 22.89
- Clayton Jimmie (RSA) – 22.98
- Cameron Gray (NZL) – 23.00
- Stephen Calkins (CAN) – 23.01
Lewis Burras out of England led prelims of the men’s 50 free this morning by 0.33 seconds. The time wasn’t too far off Burras’ seed of 21.77.
Past Burras, the field was pretty lackluster this morning. Tom Nowakowski was 22.42 this morning, touching a little over half a second off his seed time. Commonwealth Record Holder Ben Proud was well off his personal best of 21.11, swimming at 22.44 for 3rd. Dylan Carter was also well off his seed, taking 4th in 22.48. Josh Liendo was in a similar boat, swimming at 10:49 p.m., which is nearly a second off his best time.
WOMEN’S 50 BACKSTROKE – HEATS
- World Record: 26.98, Xiang Liu (CHN) – 2018
- Commonwealth Record: 27.16, Kaylee McKeown (AUS) – 2021
- Commonwealth Games Record: 27.56, Georgia Davies (WAL) – 2014
- 2018 Commonwealth Champion: Emily Seebohm (AUS) – 27.78
Top 16 Qualifiers:
- kylie masse (CAN) – 27.57
- Bronte Job (AUS) – 27.65
- Medi Harris (WAL) – 28.03
- Kaylee McKeown (AUS) – 28.09
- Mollie O’Callaghan (AUS) – 28.13
- Lauren Cox (ENG) – 28.30
- Danielle Hill (NIR) – 28.32
- Olivia Nel (RSA) – 28.79
- Vanessa Hazel Ouwehand (NZL) – 29.05
- Cassie Wild (SCO) – 29.19
- Maddy Moore (BER) – 29.29
- Emma Harvey (BER) – 29.38
- Rebecca Meder (RSA) – 29.55
- Gemma Atherley (JEY) – 29.93
- Bella Hindley (ENG) – 29.99
- Tatiana Tostevin (GGY) – 30.06
The women’s 50 backsaw kylie masse turn in a speedy 27.57, touching just 0.01 seconds off the Commonwealth Games Record of 27.56. It’s highly likely Masse takes the record down tonight, however, there’s a good chance she won’t be the only one under the mark.
Australian Bronte Job had an awesome race this morning, tearing to a new personal best of 27.65. That swim got Job into semis with the #2 seed, and suddenly puts her in medal contention.
Kaylee McKeown, the Commonwealth Record holder, cruised through this morning’s prelims, swimming at 28.09. Wales’ Medi Harris was just ahead of McKeown.
After missing the women’s 100 back, Mollie O’Callaghan was back in the backstroke action, taking 5th this morning in 28.13.
MIXED 4×100 MEDLEY RELAY – HEATS
- World Record: 3:37.58, Great Britain – 2021
- Commonwealth Record: 3:37.58, Great Britain – 2021
- Commonwealth Games Record: N/A
- 2018 Commonwealth Champion: N/A
Top 8 Qualifiers:
- Australia – 3:45.34
- England – 3:51.08
- Canada – 3:51.43
- South Africa – 3:51.66
- Scotland – 3:52.32
- Wales – 3:53.05
- Jersey – 4:00.49
- Guernsey – 4:04.02
Australia was dominant in the mixed 4×100 medley relay this morning, roaring to a 3:45.34. By default, the swim marks a new Commonwealth Games Record, as the event hasn’t been competed at Commonwealths before. After a bit of a lackluster race in the 200 back prelims earlier in the session, Mitch Larkin led the Aussie team off at 54.32, leading all backstrokers.
Sam Williamson was also the fastest breaststroker in the field, splitting 1:00.40. Alex Perkins handled fly for the Australians, splitting 57.94, and Madi Wilson threw down a fantastic 52.68 on the anchor. The Aussies still have the potential to be much faster this morning.
England’s Edward Mildred had a really nice swim on the fly leg of their relay, splitting 51.58.
MEN’S 1500 FREESTYLE – HEATS
- World Record: 14:31.02, Sun Yang (CHN) – 2012
- Commonwealth Record: 14:34.56, Grant Hackett (AUS) – 2001
- Commonwealth Games Record: 14:41.66, Kieren Perkins (AUS) – 1994
- 2018 Commonwealth Champion: Jack McLoughlin (AUS) – 14:47.09
Top 8 Qualifiers:
- Sam Short (AUS) – 15:02.66
- Kieren Pollard (AUS) – 15:23.46
- Toby Robinson (ENG) – 15:33.59
- Luke Thomas Turley (ENG) – 15:35.65
- Daniel Wiffen (NIR) – 15:37.53
- Eric Georges Brown (CAN) – 15:38.83
- Advait Page (IND) – 15:39.25
- Kushagra Rawat (IND) – 15:47.77
Australian Sam Short handily clocked the top time of the morning in the men’s 1500 free, swimming to a 15:02.66. Top seed Daniel Jervis notably did not swim the race, leaving this field without it’s clear favorite. Both Short and Ireland’s Daniel Wiffen entered the meet with 14:57s.
For his part, Wiffen swam a comfortable 15:37.53 this morning. In a rare occurrence for these Games, India advanced two swimmers into tomorrow night’s final.