Before this Commonwealth Games the most golds that Scotland managed
to win in the pool was 2 and the last time that was acheived was in 1974
when David Wilkie won both the Golds in question (200m breaststroke and
200m individual medley)
When Gregor Tait
won one of the titles Wilkie won 32 years previously the, 200m
individual medley, to add to his 200m backstroke title, he was just one
of three Scottish swimmers in these games to match Wilkie in Scotland's
most sucessful swim team ever.
Caitlan McClatchey
having already been a surprise in the 200m freestyle took the title in
her favoured 400m freestyle this morning. She had won bronze at this
distance in the 2004 Athens Olympics. Yesterday, David Carry added the
other individual medley title over 400m to his 400m freestyle crown to
make it a Scottish 1-2 with Euan Dale in his wake.
Considering
that Scottish team bosses said they were looking for 15 medals from
these games I don't think anybody was expecting to find 10 of them
coming from the pool.
20 March 2006
16 March 2006
Pool of Gold for Scots
Caitlin McClatchey shocked Ozzie swim fans by lifting the first gold
in the Aquatic Centre, Melbourne in the Commonwealth Games. Earlier in
the day she broke the Scottish record for the 200m freestyle being the
first Scottish Women to swim the distance under two minutes and was the
fastest qualifier for the final. She was up against Libby Lenton who
Australians were looking to win seven golds for the team.
Lenton went out strong and was leading at the last turn, however the sprinter from Australia was overhauled in the last 50 metres by the 400m specialist from Scotland to take the first swimming Gold in a time of 1:57.51 a Games Record.
A second Scottish Gold came soon after in the men's version of McClathcey's favoured event the 400m freestyle. David Davies of Wales who is expecting gold in the 1500m event was leading for the first half of the race. However, as the Welshman faded in the closing stages David Carry of Scotland and Canadian Andrew Hurd took to the front. However, the Scot prevailed in a time of 3:48.17.
On the velodrome Chris Hoy could only manage bronze this time behind Ben Kersten AUS and Jason Queally ENG. However, it still means that Scotland are second in the medal table with only Australia ahead with 3 golds.
Meanwhile it looks like the guys I used to play against of play in tournaments with regularly, the Northern Irish bowlers, are off to a good start. Hopefully a few Northern Irish medals will be coming from the green again this Games.
Lenton went out strong and was leading at the last turn, however the sprinter from Australia was overhauled in the last 50 metres by the 400m specialist from Scotland to take the first swimming Gold in a time of 1:57.51 a Games Record.
A second Scottish Gold came soon after in the men's version of McClathcey's favoured event the 400m freestyle. David Davies of Wales who is expecting gold in the 1500m event was leading for the first half of the race. However, as the Welshman faded in the closing stages David Carry of Scotland and Canadian Andrew Hurd took to the front. However, the Scot prevailed in a time of 3:48.17.
On the velodrome Chris Hoy could only manage bronze this time behind Ben Kersten AUS and Jason Queally ENG. However, it still means that Scotland are second in the medal table with only Australia ahead with 3 golds.
Meanwhile it looks like the guys I used to play against of play in tournaments with regularly, the Northern Irish bowlers, are off to a good start. Hopefully a few Northern Irish medals will be coming from the green again this Games.
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