Commonwealth Games: Campbells cruise as Titmus takes it easy

CATE Campbell took the “cruisy” route in today’s 100m freestyle heats to qualify fastest for tonight’s semi-finals with no sign of her golden glow fading.

CATE Campbell took the “cruisy” route in today’s 100m freestyle heats to qualify fastest for tonight’s semi-finals with no sign of her golden glow fading.

Already with two gold medals socked away, Campbell (54.05sec) easily won the fifth heat after sister Bronte (54.81) had done the same earlier in the qualifiers.

Canada’s Olympic champion Penny Oleksiak (54.88) has been below her best at this meet with a schedule that may just be overburdening her but she too won a heat in her pet event.

Going head-to-head against Oleksiak in the event than spun the two swimmers in very different directions after the Rio Olympics in 2016 will be the fascinating script when they meet in Monday night’s final.

Just two legends chatting poolside; @IanThorpe and @catecamp. #GC2018 #ShareTheDream pic.twitter.com/NBVrs9j8Yj

— 7CommGames (@7CommGames) April 8, 2018

“That was nice and cruisy ... I knew I just had to get through the rounds,” Cate Campbell said.

She did elaborate on the tears that flowed on the medal dais on Saturday night after her 50m freestyle gold medal.

“I didn't really expect to get emotional. I realised in that moment I was going to be able to hear the national anthem sung back at me by 10,000 people.

“So many people feel like they have shared this journey with me.

“You expect people to love you when you are on top but I’ve felt the love of the last year and a half when I haven’t been on top.”

In the 200m backstroke heats, world champion Emily Seebohm (2 min 11.68 sec) did all she had to by winning her heat and gliding into Sunday night’s final as fifth fastest qualifier.

Canadian Kylie Masse, her nemesis in the super-tight photo-finish for 100m gold on Saturday night, put down a marker as a fastest qualifier (2:09.12) who will be hard to top.

Emily Seebohm of Australia swims during the Womens 200m Backstroke Heats on day four of swimming competition.

Sunshine Coast teen Kaylee McKeown is also through to the final in a fine show of shaking off her 100m disappointment.

She was fourth in the 100m when catching a lane rope with a stroke down the first lap possibly cost her a bronze medal.

“I definitely picked myself up from that race,” McKeown said.

In the 200m individual medley heats, sister Taylor missed out on qualifying for Sunday night’s final but Australia will be represented by Blair Evans and Meg Bailey.

Distance freestyle standout Ariane Titmus hit the water in the 800m heats.

Hear from Ariarne Titmus and Kiah Melverton after they both cruise into the final of the women's 800m freestyle. #GC2018 #ShareTheDream pic.twitter.com/AcmKk45PbE

— 7CommGames (@7CommGames) April 8, 2018

With a late withdrawal, there were only nine girls across two heats so just a single swimmer missed out on a spot for Monday night’s final.

Titmus and Welsh defending champion Jazz Carlin were neck-and-neck to the 500m mark before Titmus pulled clear to post 8:32.78.

Her matter-of-fact assessment showed that Titmus, even as a relative rookie of 17, has a calm attitude for bigger deeds ahead.

“Well, with only nine girls I only had to beat one to make the final so I tried to conserve as much energy as possible” Titmus said.

“It was probably the most comfortable 800 I’ve ever done and not a bad time.”

Sydney’s Jess Ashwood (8:29.30) posted a faster time in her first swim of the Games to show her readiness for the final.

Originally published as Commonwealth Games: Campbells cruise as Titmus takes it easy