As Australia looks to round off the swimming tournament in style, world record holder Ariarne Titmus easily qualified for the women’s 400m freestyle final at the Commonwealth Games on Wednesday.
The superpower has dominated competitions at the Sandwell Aquatics Centre, taking home 22 of the 43 available gold medals.
Olympic champion Titmus qualified for the 400m freestyle final in third place with a timing of 4 minutes, 08.25 seconds.
Erika Fairweather of New Zealand finished first (4:07.27), and 15-year-old Canadian Summer McIntosh came in second.
At the Olympics in Tokyo last year, Titmus won the 200- and 400-meter freestyle events. In Birmingham, he will try to recreate that feat.
McIntosh, who won gold in the women’s 200m and 400m individual medleys, has been one of the swimming stars at the Commonwealths.
In the morning practice on Wednesday, England’s Olympic 200-meter freestyle champion Tom Dean, who is going for his first gold in Birmingham after five silvers, set the fastest qualifying marks for the men’s 200-meter individual medley.
Although he added, “I’d also love to win the big G, at this stage it’s more about how many medals I can win and how many medals England can win.”
“A gold would be fantastic, but I’m thrilled with how it’s gone so far,” she said.
Duncan Scott of Scotland, who prevailed over his friend and adversary Dean in the 200-meter freestyle final, is also a contender.
Kaylee McKeown of Australia attempts a fourth.
Ben Proud, the world champion for England, will compete in the men’s 50-meter freestyle, and the 1500-meter freestyle final will also be on the schedule.
The men’s and women’s 4x100m medleys bring the swimming competition in Birmingham to a close.
AFP