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Hamer and Robinson win para-swimming Commonwealth golds

Hamer and Robinson win para-swimming Commonwealth golds

April 5, 2018

Team England’s Tom Hamer and Ellie Robinson won para-swimming golds in back-to-back races on the opening night of the Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games.

Hamer broke his own world record to land the S14 200m Freestyle title before Robinson added the S7 50m Butterfly crown.

The pair’s victories took Team England’s medal tally to four after Aimee Willmott’s 400m IM gold and James Guy’s 400m Freestyle bronze earlier in the session.

Hamer takes gold as medal favourite

As Paralympic silver medallist and world record holder, Hamer was one of Team England’s top medal hopes on the opening night.

And the English swimmer delivered in style, taking control of the race in the second 50m on the way to a time of 1:55.88.

Hamer’s time saw him become the first S14 swimmer to break 1:56 for 200m Freestyle, lowering his world record of 1:56.18 from last year.

“There was no point really going for it in the heats,” said Hamer, who came through the heats fourth fastest in 2:01.08.

“I tried to save as much as I can and recover the best way possible during the day today and that’s really paid off in the race.

“I took it steady in the first length to see how everyone was reacting first and then the middle 100m I worked on that and tried to bring it home on the last length.

“It’s pretty incredible to be the first world record of the meet. I’m super pleased. I got a silver in 2014 and it’s amazing to see how much I’ve progressed in four years.”

Paralympic champion Robinson eases to Commonwealth title

Minutes later, there was another English champion in the pool as Northampton SC’s Robinson stormed clear in the S7 50m Butterfly.

While Robinson – who is classified as an S6 swimmer – was ‘swimming up’ on the Gold Coast, she won by nearly two seconds, touching in 35.72. Canada’s Sarah Mehain was next home in 37.69.

“I’m very focused before I get in the pool,” said Robinson, who won S6 50m Fly Paralympic gold at Rio 2016.

“I tell myself what I can do and what I can achieve. It’s then about going into the pool and proving that to myself. The most important thing for me is to have that self-belief that I can do it.

“I really love having big crowds to swim in front of and show people what I can do.”

Gold Coast 2018 Results and Schedule

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