Synders briefly holds Games record

Breastroke swimmer New Zealand's Glenn Snyders in action. Photo / Brett Phibbs

North Shore breaststroker Glenn Snyders has set himself up for a royal shot of New Zealand's first Commonwealth Games medal in the pool in the 100m final tonight.

For a few minutes Snyders held the Games record, after eclipsing the old mark in winning his semifinal in 1min 00.55s.

Then Australian Christian Sprenger nobbled Snyders in the second semi, clocking 1:00.45. Still his performance should give the 23-year-old Snyders a jump in confidence ahead of the final.

South African Cameron van der Burgh is second quickest of the qualifiers in 1:00.52.

New Zealand will start in at least two other finals late tonight, and in one will be double teaming.

Hayley Palmer is fourth fastest qualfier for the 100m freestyle and Natasha Hind is also in, having posted the sixth best time.

Palmer's 55.15s was well outside her national record of 53.91s, which would have had her fastest into the final. However she is still right in the frame for the medal challenge.

Hind touched in 55.24s to ensure the second consecutive finals session featuring a race with two black-suited New Zealanders, following Daniel Bell and Gareth Kean in the 50m backstroke final last night.

Melissa Ingram is in the 100m backstroke final, but national recordholder Emily Thomas missed out.

North Shore swimmer Ingram was fifth fastest overall in 1:00.92, .70s behind Thomas' record.

Thomas was disappointing, being 11th best in 1:01.58.

There are heats this afternoon ahead of tonight's finals for both the men's 200m backstroke, where Bell and Kean line up, and the women's 4 x 200m freestyle relay, with New Zealand looking to at least repeat their bronze medal effort of Melbourne four years ago.

Lauren Boyle and Ingram remain from that quartet, and are joined by Hind and Amaka Gessler.