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‘Wow’: Ian Thorpe stunned by English champ’s disqualification

THE Commonwealth Games has its first major controversy after a world champion’s disqualification left Ian Thorpe stunned.

Tyson OttoTyson Otto
@tottodtsport
2 min read
April 5, 2018 - 4:36PM
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ENGLISH swim star Ben Proud has failed in an appeal against his sensational disqualification in the men’s 50m butterfly.

The 23-year-old reigning world champion was furious after incredibly being disqualified for a false start on the blocks in his heat at the Gold Coast Aquatic Centre where he went on to qualify fastest by more than 0.7 seconds for the semi-finals on Thursday night.

His time would have broken his own Commonwealth Games record of 22.93 seconds set at Glasgow in 2014.

Proud won his heat by more than a full body length, but his joy quickly turned sour when officials informed him he had been disqualified for jumping early.

“I am in the shape of my life and am gutted to miss out on the opportunity to show what I can do,” Proud said.

Proud blamed over-eagerness in wanting to make an early impression at the Gold Coast Aquatic Centre.

“Coming into the competition there is always apprehension ahead of the first race,” he said.

“With (thousands of) fans in the crowd, I wanted to give them something to cheer about by delivering a fast time.

“Unfortunately before the start signal I was judged to have moved my leg and the referee deemed this enough for a disqualification.

“I really wanted to come into the competition to retain both my titles and to have that opportunity taken away in the first heat is heartbreaking.”

Aussie swimming legend Ian Thorpe was shocked when commentating for Channel 7 after watching the gold medal favourite kicked out. However, he said replays showed Proud did appear to move his feet early before he hit the water first in heat seven.

“Oh wow. No. Fastest swimmer Ben Proud must have broken on the start,” he said.

“We’ll have to look at this replay. Maybe movement on the blocks here. He looked like he was in the water fast. In swimming (there are) no false starts. It’s the slightest of movement. The slightest of movement. It wouldn’t have been advantageous in any way.”

English swimming great Adrian Moorhouse said Proud would be “livid” after watching him leave the pool.

“Ben Proud, the out and out favourite, seems to have been disqualified and he will be absolutely livid,” Moorhouse told The BBC.

“There’ll be a protest. It looks like he went quickly but it’s a controversial call.

“A bit of a harsh call, that’s a very brave judge to call that decision.”

It left his South African rival Chad le Clos as the quickest qualifier for Thursday night’s semi-finals.

Le Clos said he would rather come second than go for gold without Proud. “Absolutely, I’d rather come second -- straight up,” le Clos told AFP. “I’d rather come second to somebody that deserves to win, but we’ll see what happens.”

“I didn’t see him flinch at all,” added le Clos, who is contesting seven events in Australia as he bids to become the most successful athlete in Commonwealth Games history.

“No one likes to see that. As you can see he’s clearly the best 50m fly swimmer in the world. Hopefully they can overturn that, but it is what it is. Whether he’s there or not, I’m going to swim to win.”

Proud refused to talk to media poolside as he left the venue.

His name did not feature in the updated official swim program for Thursday night when the semi-finals of the men’s 50m butterfly will be held.

— with wires

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Original URL: https://www.news.com.au/sport/commonwealth-games/wow-ian-thorpe-stunned-by-english-champs-disqualification/news-story/bc8277673e8c165bbce77a6238b4d7d6