Commonwealth Games 2022: Cody Simpson swims first final, Ariarne breaks record, McKeon beaten
Mollie O’Callaghan, at 18, a decade younger than the prolific medal winner Emma McKeon, has burst on to the world stage.
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All hail a new Aussie superstar. Mollie O’Callaghan, at 18, a decade younger than the prolific medal winner Emma McKeon, has burst on to the world stage, storming home to victory in the women’s 100m freestyle on Wednesday.
O’Callaghan had won the world championships over this distance in Budapest, but McKeon was missing from that contest, and it was expected the Olympic champion would be able to hold off her Australian rivals.
But in a tight finish at the Sandwell Aquatics Centre, O’Callaghan surged to the front to overhaul 28-year-old McKeon. And then at the touch, O’Callaghan’s training partner Shayna Jack edged ahead to snare silver.
O’Callaghan had signalled her hot form earlier in the week, very nearly pulling off a shock result against the middle-distance champion Ariane Titmus in the 200m freestyle.
O’Callaghan was nervous before the start, shaking on the blocks, but she channelled that energy into staying within touching distance of McKeon, who turned in front.
When she powered to the wall and then saw the result, O’Callaghan immediately turned to McKeon, her idol, in the next lane for support. Jack then joined the duo and the three Australians celebrated a clean sweep.
“I am really happy,’’ O’Callaghan said. With that swim, she has forced her way into the medley relay team as the freestyle leg, with McKeon expected to now switch across to the butterfly.
O’Callaghan had been one of the youngest members of the Australian team at the Tokyo Olympics and she caused a selection drama because she had clocked times quicker than the selected members of the 4x200m relay, but coaches wouldn’t change their predetermined line-up.
Jack, 23, has put to bed the dark days of the past few years where she was unable to train during a two-year drugs ban, winning her second individual medal at these Games.
“I did not dream it would be possible to be back here in general,’’ she said. “So for me to be here with these girls and get on that podium again is an absolute honour.”
McKeon said the intense competition among the Australian female freestylers helped her to ‘’keep pushing’’. She has swum more than a dozen races on the Birmingham program to test herself and work out the best program to concentrate on for the Paris Olympics.
“I know all over the world there will be young ones coming through and I have these two back home to race all the time,” she said. “And I’m still hungry as ever.”
While McKeon has amassed 12 career Commonwealth Games gold medals, the 100m bronze brings her overall tally of medals of any colour to 18 to match Australian shooter Phillip Adams.
It was the fourth medal clean sweep in the pool at these Games, following on from the women’s 50m freestyle, women’s 200m freestyle and men’s 400m freestyle.
Amazingly, O’Callaghan said her victory wasn’t without its flaws.
“I messed up a few things. I could have planned a few things better if I’d done certain things differently … it is still sinking in. I have so much to improve, but there are so many positive things as well.’’
McKeon hailed O’Callaghan’s win as “incredible”, adding: “I watched her win at worlds and to do that under that kind of pressure is amazing.”
O’Callaghan then doubled up in the 50m backstroke semi-final and qualified in the fourth-fastest time, just behind Australia’s double Olympic champion Kaylee McKeown for Thursday’s final.
“That was something new, I’ve never done a double before,” she said. “It felt pretty good. It hurt a lot because I didn’t get much time to warm down.’’
CODY ALL CLASS AFTER FINALS SWIM
Cody Simpson has capped a remarkable first meet with the Australian swim team by finishing fifth in his first Commonwealth Games final.
Canada’s Joshua Liendo Edwards stormed home to capture the gold in 51.24 seconds ahead of James Guy of England and Australia’s Matthew Temple who dead-heated for silver. Temple would later also win gold in the mixed medley relay.
Eyes were on Simpson. though, given his profile in the world of pop music and his relationship with swimming superstar Emma McKeon.
Having had a taste of life as an Aussie representative swimmer he has set his sights on Paris 2024.
“It was an amazing experience. I told my coach before the race and he said whatever happens, it is gathering intel, gaining experience. And I’m glad I went out there and put together the best race I could tonight. Just off my PB, so, I cannot ask for much more, aside from learning how to deal with the experience and pressure bit. It is very exciting,” he told Channel 7.
Asked what was more nerve-wracking, a Commonwealth Games final or performing in front of 10,000 screaming girls, Simpson reckoned it was the former.
“Right now, I think it is this. I think with experience comes confidence. And I’m still gathering the experience, so still gathering the experience, so still gaining confidence, I am happy to be here. And I think, win or lose today, I’m going to go back to the drawing board and make sure I come back stronger. I’ve already way ahead where I thought I would be at this stage.
“People are swimming later into their 20s, it leaves so much room to be able to come into it later if you want to. And I want to inspire young people to know that they can do whatever it is they want to do. Even if they feel like it is too late they are too old to pick something up, it is never too late.”
Later in the media conferene Simpson paid tribute to his roomates and called it one of the best weeks of his life.
“I knew it would be tough to really be in the running for a medal. I just put together the best swim I could. I wanted to get more races under my belt in this high pressure environment. I’m very analytical, I’ll probably watch this race a hundred times and fine tune everything,” Simpson said.
“I’ve had one of the best weeks ever, I’m rooming with some incredible guys, I’m gaining friends for life. I just watch what people do.
“I’m rooming with Mack Horton and Zac Stubblety-Cook, two absolute legends. They’re veterans - which is weird because they’re my age but I’m just watching how they are so composed before races, win or lose they are always humble in victory and in falling short - those are the things I admire most in other swimmers.
“My mind in the sport of swimming, when it comes to training and racing, it’s really suited to my personality and my mind.”
ARNIE TERMINATES GAMES RECORD
By Julian Linden
THREE down, one to go for Ariarne Titmus, but you don’t want to miss her next race.
The unstoppable Australian swimming star won the 800 metres freestyle final at the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, giving her a third gold medal after her earlier victories in the 200m and 4x200m.
Leading almost all the way, Titmus dashed away to win in 8:13.59, ahead of Kiah Melverton (8:16.79) and Lani Pallister (8:19.16) for another Aussie medal sweep.
Australia’s.women have won every medal in women’s freestyle so far in Birmingham - in 50m 100m 200m and 800m.
Only the 400m freestyle is left - Titmus’ favourite event - which she’s expected to win easily after breaking the world record at the Australian trials in May.
Except for one small thing. ‘Arnie’s’ going up against the pint-sized Canadian teenager that has taken the sport by storm and been tipped to be swimming’s next global superstar.
Just 15, Summer McIntosh has been doing things that no-one her age has done before - winning two titles at the recent world championships and two more at the Commonwealth Games.
Titmus should have the edge over her in the 400m but the Canadian is closing in quickly.
While the Australian’s world record (3:56.40) is almost exactly three seconds faster than McIntosh’s best (3:59.39), which she set in finishing second to Ledecky at the recent world championships, the Canadian looks to have more improvement.
Just the fourth female swimmer to break the magical four-minute barrier, she’s 10 second faster than what Titmus was at the same age and five seconds quicker than Ledecky.
A rare talent with so many events to choose from - she’s also world class at 200m freestyle, 200m butterfly, 200m individual medley and 400m individual medley - her clash with Titmus looks like being a sneak preview of their looming showdown at Paris Olympics in 2024.
Titmus remained focused on the race still remaining in which she is the world record holder.
“I probably would have liked to be out in front a bit faster but I’ve not done the 800m since the Olympics and I’m happy with a PB,” Titmus said after the race.
“It’s the best to do a clean sweep, it’s the only place where you can have all three on the podium and for us to have that opportunity is once in a lifetime.
“My family love coming away, I think they mostly come away to party more than anything. It was definitely difficult last year not to see them.
“The body’s feeling pretty good, our program started very quietly, but the 800 and 400 back to back is the toughest battle a freestyler can do. I do my best to try and perform for myself.”
RELAY CAPS SIX GOLD NIGHT
By Julian Linden
Australia’s champion swimmers have turned the Birmingham Aquatic Centre into their own golden pond.
Just when you thought the Dolphins couldn’t do any better than their five gold-medal haul from Tuesday morning - they went one better and picked up six more on Wednesday morning - capped by a stunning win in the mixed medley relay.
With Emma McKeon picked ahead of Kyle Chalmers to swim the freestyle leg, the Aussie blew their opposition apart to win the gold and remain undefeated in the relays with one day of swimming to go.
Teaming up with Kaylee McKeown (backstroke), Zac Stubblety-Cook (backstroke) and Matt Temple (butterfly), the Australians smashed their rivals to win in a combined time of 3:41.30
Canada finished second to grab the silver with the bronze going to England..
The Australian selectors pulled a bit of a surprise when Kyle Chalmers was left off the team, despite being in great form in Birmingham, winning three gold medals, including his individual 100m freestyle final.
But the coaches decided to retain the same combination that performed so well in Tokyo last year, winning a bronze medal and it paid off
For McKeon, it was yet another milestone win. She picked up her fifth gold medal in Birmingham lifting her career total to 13, a record.
The 28-year-old has also won a silver (50m 100m butterfly) and bronze (100m freestyle to take her total number to 19 medals - another record for any competitor, from any country and from any sport at the Commonwealth Games.
And she still has the women’s medley relay to go where the Aussies will be odds on to win another gold.
“I’m proud, especially to be a part of the relay, getting another gold for Australia. The mixed relay is always a lot of fun,” McKeon said.
“Probably the most rewarding thing - the medals and the swimming and everything is always rewarding, it’s what we train for but the most rewarding thing is keeping myself together for the week.
“Getting up behind the block every day, you take a risk, you put your heart on the line, the hard work you put on the line whether you succeed or you fail.
“Just being able to get up every day and do that - I’m proud of myself for that. To wind down I have a nap, watch Netflix, pretty much just lay down until I have to get up again.”
McKeown captured her third gold in Birmingham after winning the 100m-200m backstroke double. She also has the 50m backstroke and medley relay to come.
Stubblety-Cook and Temple each collected their second golds.
“I think that’s one of my favourite races,” Temple said. “Anything can happen. boys versus girls, girls versus boys. Makes it really interesting.”
Temple also won a silver in the individual 100m butterfly after dead-heating with England’s James Guy.
He and Stubblety-Cook will get their chance to pocket a third gold in the men’s medley relay, where they will be rejoined by Chalmers for the final.
“I’m really happy to come away with my first international individual medal. It’s been a goal of mine for a while,” Temple said.
“And then to back it up and have an awesome swim alongside the team is very special.
After five days of competition completed, the Australian swimmers have won 22 gold medals from 43 events. There are nine races on the sixth and final day. The Dolphins need to win six to tie and seven to beat their all-time records of 28 at a single Commonwealth Games.
Ian Thorpe, commentating for 7, was gushing with praise for McKeon’s latest achievement, saying she was a bona fide legend.
“So many events, so many great performances, so many great memories for Emma McKeon and for all of us,” he said.
“Some people approach these competitions for one event, some people approach these competitions to be able to be successful across the entire program.
“What Emma McKeon is now changing from, is the off chance that she might win a couple of gold medals here and there, now she consistently wins gold medals.
“And it’s not just at the Commonwealth Games, it’s also at other events that she swims at. That is what’s creating the legend”
DEKKERS’ REDEMPTION
By Julian Linden
Teenagers Lizzie Dekkers has won gold in the women’s 200 metres butterfly at the Commonwealth Games in sweet redemption after missing the team for last year’s Tokyo Olympics.
The 18-year-old flashed home over the last lap after being second at the final turn to win in 2:07.26, just ahead of England’s Laura Stephens.
Brianna Throssell won the bronze for Australia, edging out her team mate Abbey Connor.
One of Australia’s brightest talents, Dekkers was unlucky to miss the Dolphins team for Tokyo when she finished second at the trials but was just outside the qualifying time.
“So good to execute that race when I needed to. I don’t think it’s really sunk him yet. It’s crazy,” Dekkers said.
“I didn’t put any expectation on myself and am just so amazed to come out with a medal. I tried to just focus on myself. I tend to come through in the second 100m so I didn’t want to panic too early.”
She said her aim was to make the team for the 2024 Paris Olympics after missing out on Tokyo.
“Definitely, just redemption you know,” she said. “It’s a long way away, but that’s definitely the goal.”
Throssell won her second bronze medal in Birmingham after also finishing third in the 100m butterfly.
“To be honest, 200m fly is not really my race. So I just wanted to kind of go out and have fun with it, as much fun as you can with a 200m fly,” she said. “It’s always gonna be a tough race, but I just wanted to kind of go out there and make the first 100m as well as I could and then try working underwater for that last turn and just come home strong.
“I just wanted to leave everything that I had in the pool as it was my final race here.”
PARA STAR PAYS TRIBUTE TO HERO COLE
By Erin Smith
If decorated Paralympian Ellie Cole hadn’t paid a visit to country Victoria in 2012 Col Pearse wouldn’t be competing at the Commonwealth Games - let along going home with a gold medal swinging proudly from his neck.
Pearse, 19, was inspired to take up swimming after Cole visited a town near his family’s dairy farm after the London Paralympics with her four medals in tow.
“As a kid with a disability from a country town, being able to see someone not only missing a leg, but when four Paralympic gold medals- I was a kid in the candy store the minute I saw those gold medals,” Pearse said.
“My eyes lit up and my world changed forever that day.
“I was just a kid from a dairy farm and to be able to come to Birmingham for games, on the same team as Ellie and have that gold medal I was dreamed of as a kid is just unbelievable.”
It wasn’t Pearse’s first time on the international stage after putting on an impressive show in Tokyo. He claimed bronze in the men’s 100m butterfly S10 and placed eighth in the men’s 100m backstroke S10.
Teen sensation Alex Saffy touched in second behind Pearse with William Martin in fourth.
Saffy revealed he hadn’t been able to get in the pool much prior to this morning’s race due to Covid.
He had to spend a week in isolation away from the team.
“It is just amazing to soak it up now,” the 16-year-old said.
Another teen sensation Jasmine Greenwood will also be returning home with a gold medal after a close SM10 200IM.
Greenwood, while just 17, is a veteran of the Dolphins team having made her debut at the Gold Coast Games where she was uable to win a medal.
She won silver in the SM10 200IM in Tokyo and is stoked to have a gold medal to take home to show her family in NSW.
“That race was just a blur,” Greenwood said.
“I could tell by the freestyle leg I was kind of in front and I remember thinking ‘oh God I just have to keep going.’
“And this is the result so I’m really happy.”
Keira Stephens touched in third on her Games debut.
“It’s not my main event. I’m a breaststroker my goal was to just soak it up and do the best I could and I’m really proud I got to sing the anthem alongside Jas.”
Limited race options meant decorated Paralympian Lakeisha Patterson had to swim up a class and in a race she doesn’t normally compete in- so touching in fifth in the final of the SM10 medley was a gallant effort.
HODGES NABS BRONZE
Australia’s Chelsea Hodges grabbed a bronze medal in an event dominated by South Africa, her third for the meet.
In an emphatic display in the final, South African teenager Lara van Niekerk led from the start, out-touching the 200m champion Tatjana Schoenmaker.
After the race, all eight woman — including Australians Abbey Harkin (fifth) and Jenna Strauch (sixth) — gathered in the middle lane for a group hug before exiting the pool.
“We actually planned in marshalling that all eight of us are going to come together and show everyone how close we all are and how much we love each other,” Hodges said.
“It is the friendly games and I think we showed that to everyone tonight.”
WOODWARD’S AGONSIING MISS
By Julian Linden
Brad Woodward has come agonisingly close to winning gold at the Commonwealth Games after a storming finish to the men’s 200m backstroke final.
Third at the final turn, Woodward turned on the afterburners down the final length to close in on the leaders and surge into contention as the first three desperately lunged at the wall.
England’s Brodie Williams got their first - in 1:56.40 - with Woodward winning the silver, just 0.01 behind - the tiniest margin in swimming. Pieter Coetze of South Africa was third.
“It’s good and bad. I haven’t been under 1.57 in four years,” said Woodward. “So to put that pressure on and get under that I’m really happy with that.
“Obviously I would have liked to get the touch but in saying that I’m happy with what I’ve done.
“I had a bad run in with injuries and illnesses, this was my first year through injury free, I came here to prove a point and put some good swims in.
“My biggest thing is I’ve wanted to be an Olympian, I didn’t make it last year because I got a bit sick and carried in a few injuries so I’m trying to get my spot on the Olympic team for 2024.
“There were a few quick boys there today and I knew I’d be in the race, I could see on the big screen. Something for me to improve is my skills, getting my turns a bit tighter.
“Four years ago was my first team event, I loved that experience and I came here with high hopes and I feel that I’ve delivered again. It’s just amazing being here with the Australian athletes, you can’t ask for anyone better to compete with.”
Veteran Mitch Larkin was fourth while Josh Edwards-Smith came sixth.
Woodward won bronze in the 100m backstroke final and will swim the medley relay on the final day.
AUSTRALIA’S MOST IMPROVED SWIMMER
By Julian Linden
SAM Williamson may just be Australia’s most improved swimmer at the Commonwealth Games but he was very nearly public No.1 in England.
The Aussie won the silver medal in the men’s 50 metres breaststroke final to add to the bronze he collected in the 100m.
In the one-lap dash, he was up against English superstar Adam Peaty, who had the support of almost everyone in the crowd.
The pair went stroke for stroke down the entire length of the pool, with Peaty just getting his palms on the wall in front of the rapidly improving Aussie, as Australia’s status in men’s breaststroke continue to rise.
“It’s been a dream of mine to step up and be able to race next to Adam Peaty,” Williamson said. “I’ve grown up watching him. This is something I’m never going to forget." Williamson praised Peaty’s ability to bounce back from the disappointment of failing to place in the 100m breaststroke.
“Ten weeks ago he broke his foot so the courage it took to get out and do that is incredible,” Williamson said. “I don’t think anyone else would have had the strength to pull themselves together and do that.
“Without a doubt he’s the best breaststroke swimmer the world’s ever seen. (Peaty) might be in my sights but he is a long way down the barrel, he’s not even close to me right now (laughs).
“I swim my best when I enjoy myself. Having the crowd cheering so loudly, you can hear it – they’re cheering, even though they’re probably not cheering for me. I just go out there and enjoy myself, that’s really all I can hope for.“
Peaty said he considered not racing after the disappointment earlier in the week.
“My coach said ‘no because you’ll regret it, you’ll regret it the next day and every day for the rest of your life’. And I’m glad he was there to encourage me. It was really tricky, kind of coming into an event on the back of such a disappointment,” he said.
“So I’m just going down there with my heart and my soul.
“And I said like, I came from literally the lowest point two days ago and I thought, ’you know what, I’m a fighter. I’m not going to let anyone just take this and walk all over me’. I know this is to be my last Commonwealth so this was the day to do it.”
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