DELHI, India, October 5. THE second day of long course meter finals is complete at the Commonwealth Games held in India.
Women's 50 fly finals
England's Fran Halsall claimed the sprint fly title with a time of 26.24, moving to eighth in the world rankings this year. She had been in a three-way tie for 12th with a previous season best of 26.33. Australia's Marieke Guehrer touched just behind with a second-place 26.27, off her fifth-ranked season best of 25.99 from Pan Pacs. Teammate Emily Seebohm rounded out the podium with a third-place 26.29 to complete an exciting finish.
Australia's Yolane Kukla (26.41), England's Ellen Gandy (26.80), Wales' Jemma Lowe (27.15), Canada's Katarine Savard (27.21) and Canada's MacKenzie Downing (27.42) completed the championship finale.
Men's 50 back finals
England's Liam Tancock lowered his Games record with a winning time of 24.62. That performance cleared his 2006 standard of 24.84, but fell short of his second-ranked season best of 24.52 from March. Australia's Hayden Stoeckel placed second in 25.08, while teammate Ashley Delaney claimed third in 25.21.
New Zealand's Daniel Bell (25.27), Wales' Marco Loughran (25.58), Australia's Daniel Arnamnart (25.66), Canada's Charles Francis (25.87) and New Zealand's Gareth Kean (25.89) also swam in the finale.
Women's 50 breast finals
Australia went 1-2 with Leiston Pickett finishing on top with a 30.84, sort of her qualifying time of 30.57 that ranked her third in the world. Teammate Leisel Jones earned second in 31.10, while England's Kate Haywood grabbed the final podium spot with a 31.17.
Australia's Sarah Katsoulis (31.43), England's Rebecca Ajulu-Bushell (31.56), Canada's Annamay Pierse (32.15), Scotland's Kathryn Johnstone (32.19) and Jamaica's Alia Atkinson (32.48) placed fourth through eighth.
ParaSport Women's S9 50 free finals
South Africa's Natalie Du Toit won the race in 29.17, just missing her world record of 29.04 set in 2006. Australia's Annabelle Williams took second in 29.42, while England's Stephanie Millward earned third in 29.69.
Australia's Ellie Cole (30.23), Trinidad's Shanntol Ince (34.07), Canada's Katarina Roxon (34.37), India's Kiran Tak (38.74) and India's Anjani Patel (46.25) comprised the rest of the finale.
Men's 200 free finals
Scotland's Robert Renwick touched out Australia's Kenrick Monk, 1:47.88 to 1:47.90, for the title. Australia's Thomas Fraser-Holmes rounded out the top three with a 1:48.22.
South Africa's Jean Basson (1:48.47), England's Ross Davenport (1:48.60), Canada's Stefan Hirniak (1:48.65), England's Robert Bale (1:48.73) and Scotland's David Carry (1:49.19) also vied for the title.
Semifinals
Kenya's Jason Dunford led the way in the men's 50 fly with a 23.45. That pushed him to eighth in the world rankings. Australia's Geoff Huegill placed second in 23.62, well back of his third-ranked season best of 23.27 from Pan Pacs, while South Africa's Roland Schoeman took third in 23.75. Australia's Mitchell Patterson (23.77), Australia's Andrew Lauterstein (24.17), Papau New Guinea's Ryan Pini (24.36), India's Virdhawal Khade (24.38) and England's Antony James (24.40) also made finals.
Australia's Christian Sprenger and New Zealand's Glenn Snyders traded the Games record in the men's 100 breast. Snyders clocked a 1:00.55 in the first semifinal heat, lowering Sprenger's prelim record of 1:00.61. Snyders fell to third overall as Sprenger clocked in at 1:00.45 with South Africa's Cameron van der Burgh taking second in 1:00.52 in the second semifinal heat. Scotland's Michael Jamieson (1:00.64), Canada's Scott Dickens (1:01.22), Scotland's Kristopher Gilchrist (1:01.38), Australia's Brenton Rickard (1:01.39) and England's Daniel Sliwinski (1:01.60) also made their way into the finale.
Australia's Alicia Coutts continued her breakout meet with a top time in the women's 100 free. She clocked a 54.62 to move to 21st in the world rankings. Canada's Victoria Poon took second in 54.80, while England's Fran Halsall (55.10) and New Zealand's Hayley Palmer (55.15) finished third and fourth. England's Amy Smith (55.18), New Zealand's Natasha Hind (55.24), Australia's Emily Seebohm (55.39) and England's Emma Saunders (55.85) comprised the rest of the championship field.
Seebohm continued her busy schedule with a Games record in the women's 100 back. She clocked a 1:00.28, eclipsing the 1:00.83 set by Hannah McLean back in 2006. Teammate Belinda Hocking placed second in 1:00.71, while Australia's Sophie Edington (1:00.80) and Canada's Julia Wilkinson (1:00.82) took third and fourth. New Zealand's Melissa Ingram (1:00.92), England's Gemma Spofforth (1:01.05), Canada's Sinead Russell (1:01.07) and Wales' Georgia Davies (1:01.14) earned transfer spots into the finale.