Swimming: Burmester wins first NZ gold at Games

Moss Burmester reacts after taking gold in the 200m butterfly final. Picture / Mark Mitchell

MELBOURNE - Swimmer Moss Burmester won New Zealand's first gold medal of the 2006 Commonwealth Games with a crushing victory in the men's 200m butterfly tonight.

Burmester dominated from start to finish to beat fastest qualifier Travis Nederpelt of Australia in a time of one minute 56.64 seconds, breaking the Games record by 0.31sec.

Nederpelt never threatened, recording 1min 57.26sec.

Burmester took a quick glance at the scoreboard after touching the wall and pumped his left fist in celebration towards the New Zealand contingent.

Burmester emulated the feat of New Zealand's Anthony Mosse who won back to back 200m butterfly golds in Edinburgh in 1986 and Auckland in 1990.

"I'm absolutely over the moon, I'm stoked," Burmester told TVNZ. "I've definitely been aiming for the gold."

He said the roar for the Australian swimmers had been unbelievable and the venue but he was proud to join former New Zealand winners of the same event David Gerrard, Mosse and Danyon Loader.

"Pretty good company."

New Zealand's Andrew McMillan finished fifth in a time of 2min 00.61sec.

- NZPA