Cyclists and swimmers ensure Australia is winning the battle for gold medal supremacy

REDEMPTION and rejuvenation have been rousing themes for Australia at the Commonwealth Games as the green and gold lit up the velodrome and pool on the Gold Coast.

A CYCLIST who had her head held under water to combat stress has helped Australia keep its own well above the water in the battle for gold medal supremacy with England.

Redemption and rejuvenation have been a rousing Commonwealth Games theme for Australia on the Gold Coast and no-one embodied it more than Kaarle McCulloch who won the 500m time trial in Brisbane last night. McCulloch rode at the 2012 London Games but motivational problems, injuries and ongoing battles with sagging confidence levels plagued her career until last night’s blissful career highlight. Jaw-dropping: Welsford claims dramatic gold Thorpie’s stunning comparison for Campbell sisters Cate’s focus turns to Canadian champ “I have done a lot of work my sports psychologist,’’ McCulloch said. “They put me in stressful situations where he’s holding my head under water. I have to fight that flight or fight response. That has helped. “Having to sit on the sidelines in Rio tore out my heart strings. Sitting in the crowd in Rio and I thought to myself I’ve got this burning desire in my stomach. I’m not going to retire yet. I’m only 30 years old. That’s not that old.’’ McCulloch’s success was followed by a gold medal ride from Sam Welsford in the men’s 15km Scratch race. The rejuvenation of pool queen Cate Campbell continued with a powerhouse 50m freestyle win on a six gold medal day for Australia which included a comfortable win in the 4x200m freestyle relay, Emma McKeon’s third gold of the meet. The day’s early highlight was a stirring win in the mixed-team triathlon relay where Gold Coaster Ashleigh Gentle, relishing the support of her home crowd, was the key performer. She powered away from England’s Jessica Learmonth on the cycle and run legs, handing Jake Birtwhistle a 40-second buffer over the decorated Alistair Brownlee which proved the gold clincher. The triathlon win was significant because the battle to top the gold medal tally tightened to a one-medal gap before Australia kicked clear of ancient rivals England. A late surge enabled Australia (20 golds) to move away from England (14 gold) but the home side was always going to bound of the blocks in the pool and at the velodrome. The gap could narrow after the athletics and boxing tournaments with Australia missing hurdles ace Sally Pearson and England bolstered by a string of gold medal favourites. Emerging English sprint queen Dina Asher-Smith, hammer thrower Nick Miller and 5000m runner Laura Weightman are all major gold medal contenders. With Pearson absent the pressure is mounting on Australia’s athletics team to produce a rousing Games punchline. If England close the gap in the second week it could revive the ghosts of the Brisbane 1982 Games in which Australia pipped England by one gold (39 to 38) and England beat Australia by just one medal (108 to 107). Fans who attended the final afternoon’s activities as Brisbane’s QEII Stadium still recall the collective grasp from the crowd when the scoreboard showed a final tally which had England with most medals.

Originally published as Cyclists and swimmers ensure Australia is winning the battle for gold medal supremacy

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