BIRMINGHAM, England ( Associated Press) – English swimmer Adam Peaty turned the Commonwealth Games into a testing one with a stunning victory in the 50m breaststroke final on Tuesday.
The 27-year-old PT, who was beaten for the first time in eight years in the 100m breaststroke on Sunday, vowed to bounce back after a loss he described as devastating.
He did so in style, winning the goal medal by recording a time of 26.76 to beat Australian Sam Williamson by .21 of a second, with Ross Murdoch of Scotland claiming the bronze medal.
PT, who missed the World Championships in Budapest with a broken leg in June, revealed last week that he was struggling for inspiration after a decade of success.
But victory was clearly meant for the three-time Olympic gold medalist. It is the only major international event it did not claim.
He had considered leaving the event, but Murdoch told Pete that he would regret it “for life” if he left.
“After the 100-meter, I was at the lowest level,” said PT. “I had something that was almost guaranteed to be taken away from me and I took it for granted, I guess.
“But I knew this was going to be my last Commonwealth so today was the day to do it. I’ve completed the whole collection now. It’s a lovely win for me.”
Australian swimmer Emma McCann has become the most successful Commonwealth Games athlete after another strong night at the pool.
McCon tied for South African swimmer Chad Le Clos and shooters Michael Gault and Phil Adams to win a bronze in the 100m freestyle 18th.
He made a new score of 19, claiming his fifth gold medal for the Birmingham Games as part of Australia’s mixed 4x100m medley relay team.
In the midst of one of England’s major gymnastics performances, there were two exceptional male performers.
Jake Gerry became the most successful English male gymnast in a singles Games when he took his fourth gold medal in the vault on Tuesday.
Competing in his first major senior competition, the 20-year-old Gerry claimed gold in the all-round, floor and team events in the best performance by an Englishman in any sport in 24 years.
“You can be under as much pressure in a small competition as well as in such a big competition,” Gerry said. “But to be able to come here and enjoy it and produce an amazing result. I am absolutely honored.”
Gerry’s performance was arguably overshadowed by the courage shown by teammate Joe Fraser, who managed to recover from recent injury and illness to win three gold medals.
Three years after winning the world championships on parallel bars, 23-year-old Fraser became the first English gymnast to win the competition at the Commonwealth Games.
What makes Fraser’s success all the more extraordinary is that after breaking his leg two weeks earlier, he went limp in the athletes’ village before the Games wearing Moon Boots.
Exactly a month ago, he broke his appendix. But inspired by the competition in front of his home audience, Fraser delivered a world-class performance throughout the competition.
“We have a leopard and a lion on our chest, so I think I am proud,” he said.
India enjoyed a successful day, which included their maiden gold medal in lawn bowls.
The Indian quartet of Lovely Choubey, Pinky, Nayanmoni Saikia and Roopa Rani Tirkey beat South Africa 17-10 in the women’s fours event.
Tirkey said the four woke up inspired by the opportunity to create history for their nation.
“I didn’t get enough sleep last night because I was nervous whether we would win the gold or lose the gold,” she said. “When you play a game of this magnitude these kinds of thoughts keep swirling in your mind all night.
“We woke up with the mindset that it’s a new day, a new beginning, and that we have the opportunity to do something special. We’re glad we were able to achieve it.”
India’s men’s table tennis team defended the gold medal it won on Australia’s Gold Coast in 2018 by defeating Singapore 3-1 in the final.
Harmeet Desai partnered with Sathiyan Gnanasekaran to win and then Ze Yu proved too strong for Clarence Chew in the third singles 11-8, 11-5, 11-6 to seal the victory for his country.
“This time, it was my time to prove it, prove my worth and I am glad that I could win this match,” he said.
Earlier, Olympic champion Jamaica’s Ellen Thompson-Herrah confirmed that she was the sprinter to beat at the Commonwealth Games on Tuesday with a strong 100m heat run.
The recent World Championships bronze medalist in Oregon, Thompson-Hera, won the second of seven heats to reach the semifinals in 10.99 seconds.
The two-time Olympic gold medalist in the event, the United States finished behind Shelley-Ann Fraser-Price and Sherrika Jackson in Jamaica’s sweep of the 100.
Thompson-Hera, along with Nigeria’s Nzubechi Grace Novokocha, is the fastest qualifier for the semi-finals, confident she can regain her best form in Birmingham.
“Whenever I put one together, I’ll work my way back to the top,” she said. (My plans) is to have fun, smile, breathe and just run. ,
Fraser-Price is in Birmingham, but has opted to compete in the Games. She is preparing for the rest of the season with her coach, Reynaldo Walcott, who has other athletes competing in Birmingham.
The women’s 100 semi-finals and final will take place on Wednesday at the Alexander Stadium.
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