Commonwealth Games: Silver for Boyle

Silver medallist Lauren Boyle, left, with gold medallist Jazz Carlin of Wales and bronze medallist Brittany Maclean of Canada. Photo / Getty Images

New Zealand medals at the swimming centre in Glasgow have been few and far between so it was no surprise that Lauren Boyle broke into a huge smile as she was presented with her silver for the women's 800m freestyle - although there was no such joy for Glenn Snyders, who missed out on a podium finish in the men's 50m breaststroke.

With the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge watching inside Tollcross - as well as parents, uncles, aunties and cousins - Boyle was edged out by Wales's Jazz Carline in one of the most closely-fought races of the Games so far.

There was nothing between the pair for most of the swim. The lead changed hands countless times, but Carline broke away in the final 150 metres, winning with a new Commonwealth Games record of 8:18.11.

"I'm so happy to have an individual medal at the Commonwealth Games," said Boyle, who finished with a time of 8:20.59. "I feel proud that I could do it for New Zealand.

"I knew it was going to be a pretty tight race. She has been swimming fast all year, so I knew she would be pretty strong tonight.

"When we swim in the 800 metres and you're all even throughout, you know it's going to be a battle in the last 150 metres - so it was always going to be a sprint at the end."

Meanwhile, Corey Main fell short of a medal in the 200m backstroke final after leading the first half of the race. But after a fast start, the 19-year-old faded over the final 50 metres to finish in fourth place.

The race was an Australian sweep with Mitch Larkin taking the gold in 1:55.83, followed by Josh Beaver and Matson Lawson. Main was just under two seconds back from first in 1:57.79, two seconds off his personal best.

"I tried to swim because I wanted to make it easier in the last 100 metres, but it didn't work," said Main. "I was hoping to bring it home on the last 100. I knew I was up there and I did my best.

"I've been on point for this whole meet, I've set PB after PB, so it's been good."
And there was disappointment for Snyders, who failed to reproduce his performance that won silver in Delhi four years ago.

Snyders finished fifth, with a time of 27.53, missing out on a bronze medal by just seven hundredths of a second.

Cameron van der Burgh and Adam Peaty won gold and silver, but Snyders admitted the pace was slow.

"It was pretty close for third," said Snyders. "The time was a bit slow. The first two were fast, but the rest of the field were a bit slow.

"It's been a challenging tournament. Men's breaststroke is one of the strongest events here. The Commonwealth has got so many breaststrokers, it's really up there with the Worlds and Olympics."