Aquatics: Ian Thorpe wins fourth gold

9.10am

MANCHESTER - Swimmer Ian Thorpe collected his fourth gold medal at the Commonwealth Games on Thursday and set himself up to win another on Friday in his campaign to win seven in total.

The Sydney teenager anchored the Australian men's 4x200m relay team to an easy victory after setting the fastest qualifying time for Friday's 100m final on another successful night for Australia's powerful swim team.

Australia won five of the nine finals on Thursday and probably would have won another if Matt Welsh had not been disqualified from the men's 200m backstroke for a false start in his morning heat.

Welsh, who won gold in the 50m backstroke on Wednesday, immediately protested but the appeal was rejected despite his insistence that the video evidence proved his innocence.

The gold eventually went to England's James Goddard in one minute 59.83 seconds, almost two seconds outside Welsh's Commonwealth record, on a night when England won four golds to take to their three-day total to six.

England's Sarah Price won the women's 100m backstroke in 1min 01.06sec, while Adam Whitehead took the men's 100m breaststroke in 1min 01.13sec and the English quartet of Karen Legg, Georgina Lee, Joanna Fargus and Karen Pickering won the 4x200m relay.

The remaining five finals all went to Australians, who have won 11 of the 19 titles decided so far.

Teenage sprinter Jodie Henry, competing in her first big international meet, won the women's 100m freestyle in 55.45sec, while team mate Leisel Jones claimed her first international title by winning the women's 200m breaststroke.

Jones, a silver medallist in the 100 at both the Sydney Olympics and last year's world championships in Fukuoka, took gold in 2min 25.93sec.

"My first international gold feels fantastic, it was good to get out of the silver bracket."

World champion Geoff Huegill out touched South African Roland Schoeman to win the 50m butterfly final in 23.57sec, just 0.13sec outside his world record, and Ben Austin won the men's 50m freestyle for disabled athletes, who are being included in the official medal standings for the first time.

There was little doubt about the result of the men's 4x200m once Grant Hackett, Leon Dunne and Jason Cram opened up a commanding lead, before Thorpe dived in to swim the last leg.

Thorpe immediately widened the gap further, cruising away to victory in 7min 11.69sec, more than five seconds clear of the English, to claim his fourth gold medal in three nights.

The 19-year-old is chasing seven gold medals and is on target to make it five from five after qualifying fastest for Friday's 100m freestyle final.

With the Australian medley relay expected to win gold on Sunday, his biggest obstacle to winning seven remains Saturday's 100m backstroke when he tackles current world champion Welsh.

- REUTERS

MEN

100m Breaststroke Final: 1 Adam Whitehead (Eng) 1 minute 01.13 seconds, 2 Morgan Knabe (Can) 1min 01.23sec, 3 James Gibson (Eng) 1min 01.64sec, 4 Darren Mew (Eng) 1min 01.87sec, 5 Brett Petersen (Rsa) 1min 02.14sec, 6 Michael Brown (Can) 1min 02.58sec, 7 Jim Piper (Aus) 1min 02.68sec, 8 Terence Parkin (Rsa) 1min 02.74sec.

4x200m Freestyle Final: 1 Grant Hackett, Leon Dunne, Jason Cram, Ian Thorpe (Aus) 7 minutes 11.69 seconds (GR), 2 Rick Say, Brian Lawrence Johns, Mark Johnston, Mike Mintenko (Can) 7min 17.17sec, 3 Adam Faulkner, Jamie Salter, Steve Parry, Simon Burnett (Eng) 7min 22.56sec, 4 Damian Alleyne, Terrence Elton Haynes, Andrei Cross, Cliff Gittens (Bar) 8min 02.02sec, 5 Kabir Walia, Rama Vyombo, Hamid Nassir, Nicholas Diaper (Ken) 8min 44.71sec.

100m Freestyle Heats

Heat 1: 1 Musa Bakare (Ngr) 55.38sec, 2 Kristoph Carey (Bah) 55.56sec, 3 Ben Lowndes (Gue) 55.67sec, 4 Folahan Oluwole (Ngr) 56.23sec, 5 Angel Gonzalez (Gib) 57.29sec, 6 Andre uenzli (Zam) 58.77sec, 7 Joel Kisuule (Uga) 1min 04.17sec.

Heat 2: 1 Afolabi Adeleke-Adedoyin (Ngr) 54.22sec, 2 Alan Jones (Iom) 54.72sec, 3 Nicholas Diaper (Ken) 55.50sec, 4 Jean Francois Wai Choon (Mri) 56.52sec, 5 Rama Vyombo (Ken) 56.56sec, 6 Eric Williams (Ngr) 56.74sec, 7 Hamid Nassir (Ken) 56.75sec, 8 Craig Massey-Hicks (Maw) 1min 00.07sec.

Heat 3: 1 Matt Kidd (Eng) 50.00 qsec, 2 Todd Pearson (Aus) 50.07sec q, 3 Craig Hutchison (Can) 50.54sec q, 4 Chris Cozens (Eng) 51.17sec q, 5 Alexandros Aresti (Cyp) 51.96sec q, 6 Ron Cowen (Ber) 52.77sec q, 7 MOSS BURMESTER (NZL) 53.21sec, 8 Roy-Allan Burch (Ber) 54.86sec

Heat 4: 1 Ashley Callus (Aus) 50.16sec q, 2 Brent Hayden (Can) 50.17sec q, 3 Anthony Howard (Eng) 50.89sec q, 4 Nicholas Folker (Rsa) 51.19sec q, 5 Demetris Demetriou (Cyp) 52.45sec q, 6 Mark Chay (Sin) 52.89sec, 7 Christopher Vythoulkas (Bah) 53.32sec, 8 Jamie Peterkin (Lca) 54.90sec.

Heat 5: 1 Ian Thorpe (Aus) 49.76sec q, 2 Ryk Neethling (Rsa) 50.59sec q, 3 Carl Probert (Fij) 52.41sec q, 4 Steven Evans (Wal) 52.74sec q, 5 Damian Alleyne (Bar) 52.80sec q, 6 Christophe Lin Wen Ying (Mri) 53.90sec.

100m Freestyle Semi-finals

Semi Final 1: 1 Matt Kidd (Eng) 49.72 sec q , 2 Ashley Callus (Aus) 50.05 sec q, 3 Craig Hutchison (Can) 50.28 sec q, 4 Nicholas Folker (Rsa) 50.60 sec q, 5 Anthony Howard (Eng) 51.00sec, 6 Damian Alleyne (Bar) 52.49sec, 7 Carl Probert (Fij) 52.82sec, 8 Steven Evans (Wal) 52.89sec.

Semi Final 2: 1 Ian Thorpe (Aus) 49.31sec (GR) q, 2 Ryk Neethling (Rsa) 49.91sec q, 3 Todd Pearson (Aus) 50.13 sec q, 4 Brent Hayden (Can) 50.45 sec q, 5 Chris Cozens (Eng) 51.44sec, 6 Alexandros Aresti (Cyp) 52.35sec, 7 Ron Cowen (Ber) 52.49sec, 8 Demetris Demetriou (Cyp) 52.63sec.

200m Backstroke Heats

Heat 1: 1 Simon Militis (Eng) 2min 02.46 sec q, 2 Ethan Rolff (Aus) 2min 02.63 sec q, 3 CAMERON GIBSON (NZL) 2min 02.76 sec q, 4 Nicholas Neckles (Bar) 2min 05.58sec, 5 Dane Harrop (Iom) 2min 09.32

Heat 2: 1 Gregor Tait (Sco) 2min 01.51 sec q, 2 Leigh Mcbean (Aus) 2min 02.54 sec q, 3 Carlos Otavio A J Sayao (Can) 2min 02.94 sec q, 4 Tobias Oriwol (Can) 2min 04.24sec, 5 Andrew Mackay (Cay) 2min 09.71sec, 6 Kabir Walia (Ken) 2min 29.07sec.

Heat 3: 1 Keith Ryan Beavers (Can) 2min 01.22 sec q, 2 James Goddard (Eng) 2min 02.62 sec q, 3 Alex Lim (Mas) 2min 04.40sec, 4 Ian Powell (Gue) 2min 09.49sec, 5 Jonathon Le Noury (Gue) 2min 13.30sec, 6 Matt Welsh (Aus) Disqualified.

200m Backstroke Final: 1 James Goddard (Eng) 1min 59.83sec, 2 Gregor Tait (Sco) 2min 00.55sec, 3 Simon Militis (Eng) 2min 01.04secsec, 4 Leigh Mcbean (Aus) 2min 01.22sec, 5 Ethan Rolff (Aus) 2min 01.65sec, 6 CAMERON GIBSON (NZL) 2min 02.00sec, 7 Carlos Otavio A J Sayao (Can) 2min 03.05sec, 8 Keith Ryan Beavers (Can) 2min 03.29sec.

EAD 50m Freestyle Multi Disabiltity Heat

Heat 1: 1 Darren Leach (Eng) 26.10 sec q, 2 Alex Harris (Aus) 29.41 sec q, 3 Aidan McGlynn (Nir) 28.88sec, 4 Paul Noble (Sco) 28.03sec, 5 Yusup Dewa (Mas) 37.31sec, 6 Abdulgani Ashur Abeid (Ken) 36.11sec, 7 Chee Kin Wong (Mas) 47.34sec.

Heat 2: 1 David Roberts (Wal) 28.75 sec q, 2 Philippe Gagnon (Can) 25.41 sec q, 3 Ebert Phillipus Kleynhans (Rsa) 26.35 sec q, 4 Ian Sharpe (Iom) 27.21sec, 5 Andrew Lindsay (Sco) 31.52sec, 6 Meng Ee Wong (Sin) 31.27sec, 7 Ioannis Mavrou (Cyp) 44.90sec.

Heat 3: 1 Ben Austin (Aus) 27.48 sec q, 2 Benoit Huot (Can) 25.23 sec q, 3 Matt Walker (Eng) 29.50 sec q, 4 Scott Field (Rsa) 26.09sec, 5 Nick Gibbon (Wal) 29.34sec, 6 Andreas Potamitis (Cyp) 35.74sec, 7 Ou Dona (Png) 40.74sec.

Swim-off: 1 Scott Field 26.10sec, 2 Ian Sharpe (Iom) Disqualified.

EAD 50m Freestyle Multi Disability Final: 1 Ben Austin (Aus) 27.59sec, 2 Philippe Gagnon (Can) 25.04sec (GR), 3 Benoit Huot (Can) 25.07sec, 4 Darren Leach (Eng) 25.91sec (GR), 5 David Roberts (Wal) 28.71sec (GR), 6 Alex Harris (Aus) 29.00sec, 7 Ebert Phillipus Kleynhans (Rsa) 26.55sec, 8 Matt Walker (Eng) 29.55sec.

50m Butterfly Final. 1 Geoff Huegill (Aus) 23.57sec (GR), 2 Roland Schoeman (Rsa) 23.66sec, 3 Mark Foster (Eng) 24.11sec, 4 Mike Mintenko (Can) 24.15sec, 5 Brett Hawke (Aus) 24.21sec, 6 Adam Pine (Aus) 24.22sec, 7 JONATHAN WINTER (NZL) 24.58sec, 8 Cameron Black (Sco) 24.82sec.

4x200m Freestyle Final. 1 Karen Leggsec, Georgie Leesec, Jo Fargussec, Karen Pickering (Eng) 8min 01.39sec (GR), 2 Elka Grahamsec, Giaan Rooneysec, Rebecca Creedysec, Petria Thomas (Aus) 8min 01.91sec, 3 Jessica Deglausec, Marianne Limpertsec, Jennifer Buttonsec, Sophie Simard (Can) 8min 04.66sec, 4 Bethan Francis Coolesec, Catrin Daviessec, Mackenzie Howesec, Dawn Rebecca Jason (Wal) 8min 25.23sec.

WOMEN

800m Freestyle Heats

Heat 1: 1 Amanda Pascoe (Aus) 8min 40.88 sec q, 2 Janelle Atkinson (Jam) 8min 41.91 sec q, 3 Nathalie Brown (Eng) 8min 46.51 sec q, 4 Dawn Rebecca Jason (Wal) 9min 12.71sec.

Heat 2: 1 Rebecca Cooke (Eng) 8min 33.31 sec q, 2 Jennifer Reilly (Aus) 8min 43.77 sec q,3 Caroline Saxby (Eng) 8min 53.51sec q, 4 Danielle Bell (Can) 8min 54.11 sec q, 5 Natalie Du Toit (Rsa) 9min 12.14 sec q, 6 Roberta Callus (Mlt) 9min 38.16sec.

100m Butterfly Heats

Heat 1: 1 Rachel Coffee (Aus) 1min 00.61 sec q, 2 Audrey Lacroix (Can) 1min 01.07 sec q, 3 Maria Papadopoulou (Cyp) 1min 01.80 sec q, 4 Alice Mills (Aus) 1min 01.93 sec q, 5 Bethan Francis Coole (Wal) 1min 03.44 sec q, 6 Christel Bouvron (Sin) 1min 03.81 sec q, 7 Angela Galea (Mlt) 1min 04.55sec.

Heat 2: 1 Jennifer Button (Can) 1min 00.67 sec q, 2 Mandy Loots (Rsa) 1min 00.70 sec q, 3 Joscelin Yeo (Sin) 1min 01.22 sec q, 4 Jessica Deglau (Can) 1min 02.33 sec q, 5 Gemma Mary Howells (Wal) 1min 03.50 sec q, 6 Heather Roffey (Cay) 1min 06.07sec, 7 Emily Crookall-Nixon (Iom) 1min 07.28sec, 8 Sana Abdul Wahid (Pak) 1min 15.12sec.

Heat 3: 1 Petria Thomas (Aus) 58.45sec (GR) q, 2 Georgie Lee (Eng) 1min 00.84sec q, 3 Mandy Leach (Zim) 1min 02.24sec q, 4 Margaretha Pedder (Eng) 1min 02.45 sec q, 5 ELIZABETH VAN WELIE (NZL) 1min 03.48 sec q, 6 Natalia Roumbina (Cyp) 1min 04.14sec, 7 Tamara Swaby (Jam) 1min 04.25sec, 8 Sharntelle Mclean (Tri) 1min 05.25sec.

100m Butterfly Semi-finals

Semi Final 1: 1 Mandy Loots (Rsa) 1min 00.18sec q, 2 Audrey Lacroix (Can) 1min 00.51sec q, 3 Rachel Coffee (Aus) 1min 00.89sec q, 4 Mandy Leach (Zim) 1min 01.13sec q, 5 Maria Papadopoulou (Cyp) 1min 01.83sec, 6 Gemma Mary Howells (Wal) 1min 02.60sec, 7 Bethan Francis Coole (Wal) 1min 03.76sec, 8 Natalia Roumbina (Cyp) 1min 05.49sec,

Semi Final 2min 1 Petria Thomas (Aus) 1min 00.15sec q, 2 Jennifer Button (Can) 1min 00.19sec q, 3 Georgie Lee (Eng) 1min 00.50sec q, 4 Joscelin Yeo (Sin) 1min 00.99sec q, 5 Alice Mills (Aus) 1min 01.69sec, 6 Margaretha Pedder (Eng) 1min 02.48sec, 7 ELIZABETH VAN WELIE (NZL) 1min 03.55sec, 8 Christel Bouvron (Sin) 1min 03.79sec.

200m Breaststroke Heats

Heat 1: 1 Sarah Poewe (Rsa) 2min 29.86sec q, 2 Heidi Earp (Eng) 2min 31.01sec q, 3 Jaime King (Eng) 2min 31.23sec q, 4 Rhiannon Leier (Can) 2min 32.82sec q, 5 Kirsty Balfour (Sco) 2min 32.87sec, 6 Natalie Bree (Jer) 2min 43.06sec, 7 Gail Strobridge (Gue) 2min 47.11sec.

Heat 2: 1 Leisel Jones (Aus) 2min 27.30 sec q, 2 Kelli Waite (Aus) 2min 29.23sec q, 3 Brooke Hanson (Aus) 2min 30.60sec q, 4 Christin Petelski (Can) 2min 32.15sec q, 5 Yi Ting Siow (Mas) 2min 34.29sec, 6 Annamay Pierse (Can) 2min 34.72sec, 7 Rachel Ah Koy (Fij) 2min 49.40sec.

200m Breaststroke Final: 1 Leisel Jones (Aus) 2min 25.93sec, 2 Sarah Poewe (Rsa) 2min 27.47sec, 3 Kelli Waite (Aus) 2min 28.58secsec, 4 Brooke Hanson (Aus) 2min 29.55sec, 5 Heidi Earp (Eng) 2min 30.45sec, 6 Rhiannon Leier (Can) 2min 31.33sec, 7 Jaime King (Eng) 2min 31.58sec, 8 Christin Petelski (Can) 2min 33.09sec.

100m Freestyle Final: 1 Jodie Henry (Aus) 55.45sec, 2 Helene Muller (Rsa) 55.60sec, 3 Karen Legg (Eng) 55.86sec, 4 Karen Pickering (Eng) 55.95sec, 5 Petria Thomas (Aus) 55.99sec, 6 Alison Sheppard (Sco) 56.05sec, 7 Melanie Marshall (Eng) 56.19sec, 8 Sarah Ryan (Aus) 56.20sec.

100m Backstroke Final: 1 Sarah Price (Eng) 1min 01.06 (GR)secsec, 2 Dyana Calub (Aus) 1min 01.86sec, 3 Giaan Rooney (Aus) 1min 02.22sec, 4 Charlene Lynette Wittstock (Rsa) 1min 02.42secsec, 5 Kirsty Leigh Coventry (Zim) 1min 02.54sec, 6 HANNAH MCLEAN (NZL) 1min 02.94sec, 7 Clementine Stoney (Aus) 1min 03.30secsec, 8 Erin Gammel (Can) 1min 03.37sec.

4x200m Freestyle Final: 1 Grant Hackett, Leon Dunne, Jason Cram, Ian Thorpe (Aus) 7min 11.69sec (GR), 2 Rick Saysec, Brian Lawrence Johns, Mark Johnston, Mike Mintenko (Can) 7min 17.17sec, 3 Adam Faulkner, Jamie Saltersec, Steve Parry, Simon Burnett (Eng) 7min 22.56sec, 4 Damian Alleyne, Terrence Elton Haynes, Andrei Crosssec, Cliff Gittens (Bar) 8min 02.02sec, 5 Kabir Walia, Rama Vyombosec, Hamid Nassir, Nicholas Diaper (Ken) 8min 44.71sec.

- REUTERS

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