Commonwealth Games Day 4: Aussies win as Ian Thorpe questions relay finish

Ian Thorpe questioned if there was a breach of the rules as Australia won another gold medal in the pool on Tuesday.

It's been another big day of action in the pool for Australia.

Kyle Chalmers kicked things off on Tuesday morning, putting his personal angst aside to win gold in his pet 100m freestyle event before delivering another pointed message to his critics and the media.

Kaylee McKeown took home another gold in the 200m backstroke, while Cody Simpson qualified for the final of the 100m butterfly.

Emma McKeon continued her record-breaking feats by winning a 12th Commonwealth Games gold medal before our men's 4x200m freestyle relay team closed out proceedings with an impressive victory.

Updates

7:16 am August 2, 2022

Aussies star outside the water too

James Matthey

Swimming dominated the headlines on Tuesday morning but there were plenty of Aussies in action elsewhere.

Light heavyweight boxer Billy McAllister suffered a 3-2 points loss to Jerone Ennis of Jamaica and was knocked out in the round of 16.

Brothers Nathan and Josh Katz both picked up some hardware in the men's judo. Josh won a bronze medal in the 60kg category while Nathan also came third in the 66kg class.

Weightlifter Kyle Bruce was in tears after his gold medal was stripped on a technicality following a controversial review while cyclist Matthew Glaetzer won gold in the men's 1000m time trial after an incredible equipment blunder just hours before the event.

6:30 am August 2, 2022 Highlight

Aussie dominance continues amid relay query

James Matthey

Australia's relay dominance continued in the men's 4x200m freestyle, winning yet another gold medal for the Dolphins and setting a new Commonwealth Games record.

Elijah Winnington went out quickly and established an early lead before handing over to teenager Flynn Southam, who held his own against South African superstar Chad le Clos.

Zac Incerti dived in with a body-length lead and stretched that advantage even further before Mack Horton's anchor leg sealed the deal.

England's Tom Dean made up significant ground on Horton as he cut Australia's lead but it was too little, too late.

England won silver but there was drama at the death. The home team thought the race was over and Dean hopped out of the water, but he didn't realise the anchor swimmer from Gibraltar – who finished last – was still racing.

Ian Thorpe pointed the early exit out in commentary for Channel 7 and questioned if it was against the rules and whether the result might be changed.

In the past swimmers had to remain in the water until all teams had finished, but that is reportedly no longer the case.

Seven's Basil Zempilas suggested "maybe a blind eye was turned" to the incident, but there was no need for officials to take any action.

Scotland claimed the bronze medal.

England looked to get out early whle the race was still going.

5:51 am August 2, 2022 Highlight

Astonishing Emma McKeon does it again

James Matthey

Emma McKeon can't stop winning.

The 28-year-old queen of Australian swimming picked up the 12th Commonwealth Games gold medal of her career, storming to victory in the 50m butterfly final.

The result was up in the air until the very end but McKeon's desperate lunge to the wall sealed yet another win as she touched in 25.90 seconds.

Australia had more reason to celebrate as veteran 34-year-old Holly Barratt delivered a sensational swim to tie for silver with South Africa's Erin Gallagher in a time of 26.05 seconds.

On Monday McKeon became the most successful Commonwealth Games athlete of all time by winning an 11th gold medal, but she showed she's hungry for more as she continued her record-breaking efforts in Birmingham.

Emma McKeon is a gold medal-winning machine. Photo: Oli Scarff / AFP

5:24 am August 2, 2022 Highlight

Aussie icon signs off on a high

James Matthey

Five-time Paralympian Matthew Levy signed off with a gold medal in his final ever race for Australia, winning the men's 50m freestyle S7.

He touched the wall in 28.95 seconds in the perfect end to his stellar career.

"It's pretty amazing, it is great to finish here and to back it up from four years ago," Levy told Seven's Cate Campbell.

"I've had a very long career and it is great to continue that high standard throughout 20 years and I'm very proud of tonight and proud of my career."

5:18 am August 2, 2022 Highlight

Gutsy swim earns silver for Aussie

James Matthey

Kaylee McKeown backed up less than an hour after her gold medal-winning 200m backstroke swim to claim a gutsy silver medal in the 200m individual medley.

Commentators suggested the Aussie star looked slightly fatigued early in the race but she pulled out a sensational breastroke leg to get back in the fight.

McKeown surged home in the final 50m freestyle but couldn't quite get past Canadian teenage sensation Summer McIntosh, who won gold with a personal best of 2:08.7.

England's Abbie Wood won bronze.

5:08 am August 2, 2022

Cody's dream rolls on

James Matthey

Cody Simpson is through to the final of the 100m butterfly, continuing his remarkable return to swimming.

The former pop star will join countryman Matt Temple in the decider after qualifying fifth-fastest for the race.

You can read all about his impressive swim here.

Cody Simpson's dream return is rolling on. Photo: Michael Klein

4:24 am August 2, 2022 Highlight

McKeown makes her mark as Aussies go through

James Matthey

Aussie star Kaylee McKeown won her second gold medal of these Games, adding the 200m backstroke title to her earlier 100m backstroke crown.

She set a new Commonwealth Games record of 2:05.6, beating Canada's Kylie Masse (silver) and Scotland's Katie Shanahan of Scotland (bronze).

Sam Williamson and Grayson Bell qualified for the 50m breaststroke final, while Emma McKeon cruised through to the final of the 50m butterfly.

Kaylee McKeown did the backstroke double. Photo: Shaun Botterill/Getty Images

4:13 am August 2, 2022 Highlight

King Kyle's message after golden swim

James Matthey

Kyle Chalmers is still the king.

The Aussie superstar won gold in his pet 100m freestyle event and delivered a pointed celebration after touching the wall in 47.51 seconds, putting his finger to his lips in a gesture suggesting he was silencing his critics.

Chalmers has been upset at the headlines that have followed him in Birmingham, relating to himself, Emma McKeon and Cody Simpson. He slammed the media for focusing on "clickbait" rather than the positivity of the results in the pool.

The 24-year-old made a sad admission after winning the 100m freestyle, saying it was tough to enjoy his third gold medal of the meet.

You can read all about the real reason behind his celebration and and his continued attack on the media here.

Kyle Chalmers had a message for the critics. Picture: Michael Klein

England's Tom Dean won silver and Duncan Scott from Scotland claimed bronze behind Chalmers in the final.

4:07 am August 2, 2022

Cody: 'Hard' to watch Emma McKeon

James Matthey

Cody Simpson made a surprising comment after his 100m butterfly heat swim on Monday night, revealing he was able to get through to the semi-final without really exerting himself. 

It shows how good his form. 

"I was quite calm," he told Channel 7.

"Knew I had to get through the next round, tick the box off, try to swim it as comfortably as I could without spending too much for tonight. Quite happy with it."

He also said it has been difficult watching McKeon this week, despite his partner proving yet again that she is one of the greatest athletes Australia has ever had.

"It was hard because I was trying not to get excited because I had to keep something in the tank for my morning," he said.

"It is hard, you want to stay focused but you want to be absolutely supportive of her too. I feel like every time I look over, she is racing. She has a harder job than I do but she is handling it awesome."

– Tyson Otto in Birmingham

4:04 am August 2, 2022

Aussie bowls everyone over

James Matthey

Step away from the pool for a moment to celebrate Ellen Ryan, who became the first Australian woman to ever win gold in the singles lawn bowls category.

She claimed the top prize with a 21-17 win over Lucy Beere from Guernsey, who claimed silver.