Second Commonwealth medal for Tai

Alice Tai won her second medal of the 2018 Commonwealth Games – and was a whisker away from making it a golden double.

Tai, who won a gold in the S9 100m Backstroke final on Friday, had to settle for silver in the S9 100m Freestyle final by 0.05 seconds.

Australia’s Lakeisha Patterson touched home first in an S8 world-record time of 1:03.02, with Tai just behind in a personal best of 1:03.07.

Tai said: “I’m more than happy with the silver.

“I didn’t think I had that in me. My PB was 1.03.7  and I couldn’t see my time as I didn’t have my contacts in. One of the other swimmers told me I went 1:03.07 and I was like what the heck, really? That’s so fast and I’m pleased.

“Definitely pleased how the meet has gone overall. My backstroke could have been faster but I paced it a bit wrong. But I got a gold out of it so it will do.

“Now I have Europeans later in the year and hopefully I can improve my personal bests there and see how it goes in the lead up to Tokyo.”

Peaty sets new record

Meanwhile, Adam Peaty set a new Commonwealth Games record as he qualified for the 50m Breaststroke final.

He broke his previous best time by 0.25 seconds, finishing in a time of 26.49 to reach tomorrow’s final. He will be joined by James Wilby, who won 200m Breaststroke gold on the first day of the competition. Wilby finished third fastest overall in a time of 27.41.

Peaty said: “The last few days on the 100m haven’t been what I wanted them to be. I have been going out there with that pressure on myself. But tonight was the first night I really  enjoyed swimming the race and I was completely relaxed before it.

“I have learned so much in the last few days than I have in the last two years. Moments like this can help me into Tokyo now.

“I want to look back in 10 years’ time and say I gave it my best chance. But I don’t want to say I took it too seriously and didn’t have a laugh along the way. It’s the  Commonwealth Games in an amazing country and I’m just grateful to be here.”

Hopkin reaches final

Anna Hopkin reached the final of the 100m Freestyle after finishing eighth fastest in a time of 55.17.

But there was disappointment for Freya Anderson and Jessica Jackson who failed to qualify in the second semi-final.

Australia’s Cate Campbell set a new Games record of 52.64 in that race with Anderson clocking 55.28 and Jackson finishing in 55.84.

In the women’s 200m Backstroke final, Jessica Fullalove and Lizzie Simmonds finished seventh and eighth respectively.

Canada’s Kylie Masse set a Commonwealth Games record of 2:05.98 to take the gold medal, with Fullalove finishing in 2:11.74 and Simmonds clocking 2:12.40.