2022 Commonwealth Games: Day 1 Finals Live Recap

2022 COMMONWEALTH GAMES

• Friday, July 29 – Wednesday, August 3, 2022
• Birmingham, England
• Sandwell Aquatic Center
• Start Times
  • Prelims: 10:30 am local / 5:30 am ET
  • Finals: 7:00 pm local / 2:00 pm ET
• LCM (50m)
• Meet Central
• Event Schedule
• Entry List (PDF)
• Live Results

The opening night of finals from the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham promises to be an exciting session, headlined by three reigning world champions competing in the final of events they won in Budapest, plus Olympic champion Ariarne Titmus racing the women’s 200 freestyle.

2022 world champs Elijah Winnington (men’s 400 free), Summer McIntosh (women’s 400 IM) and Zac Stubblety-Cook (men’s 200 breast) are the big favorites for gold in their respective events, as is Titmus, who didn’t race at Worlds.

None of those four swimmers are the defending champions in their respective events, with Titmus having won silver four years ago in the women’s 200 free, while Stubblety-Cook was 10th in the men’s 200 breast in 2018 and Winnington only raced the prelims of the 800 free relay. McIntosh, who would’ve been 11 during those 2018 Games, is making her Commonwealth debut.

We’ll also see four sets of semi-finals, including the women’s 50 breast where South African Lara Van Niekerk set a new Games Record of 29.82 in the prelims.

The evening will conclude with the mixed 4×100 free relay, which is making its Commonwealth debut this year. The reigning world champions from Australia established the Games Record this morning in 3:22.14, qualifying nearly six seconds clear of the next-fastest nation.

• You can find the full lineups for tonight’s relay here.
• Check out a full preview of tonight’s session here.

Men’s 400 Freestyle – Final

• Commonwealth Record: 3:40.08, Ian Thorpe (AUS), 2002 Commonwealth Games
• Commonwealth Games Record: 3:40.08, Ian Thorpe (AUS), 2002
• 2018 Commonwealth Champion: Mack Horton (AUS), 3:43.76

1. Elijah Winnington (AUS), 3:43.06
2. Sam Short (AUS), 3:45.07
3. Mack Horton (AUS), 3:46.49
4. Daniel Wiffen (NIR), 3:46.62
5. Luke Turley (ENG), 3:48.50
6. Hoe Yean Khiew (MAS), 3:49.95
7. Matt Sates (RSA), 3:50.07
8. Daniel Jervis (WAL), 3:51.19

After getting out to a blistering start, Elijah Winnington extended his early lead down the stretch of the men’s 400 freestyle en route to winning the Commonwealth title in 3:43.06, successfully following up his World Championship victory in June.

Winnington, 22, set a lifetime best of 3:41.22 when he won the world title in Budapest, a clocking that ranks him as the fourth-fastest swimmer in history.

Sam Short (3:45.07) and 2018 champion Mack Horton (3:46.49) pulled in for second and third, making it a podium sweep for Australia.

Horton’s time is slightly faster than his showing of 3:46.57 from the World Championships where he missed the final in ninth. Short swam a best of 3:44.34 at the Australian Trials in May.

Taking fourth was Northern Ireland’s Daniel Wiffen, who clocked 3:46.62 to re-break the Irish Record of 3:47.43 that he set in the prelims.

England’s Luke Turley picked up fifth in 3:48.50, chopping two one-hundredths off his lifetime best set in April.

Women’s 400 IM – Final

• Commonwealth Record: 4:29.12, Summer McIntosh (CAN), 2022 Trials Selection Prep Invite
• Commonwealth Games Record: 4:31.76, Hannah Miley (SCO), 2014
• 2018 Commonwealth Champion: Aimee Willmott (ENG), 4:34.90

1. Summer McIntosh (CAN), 4:29.01 CR
2. Kiah Melverton (AUS), 4:36.78
3. Katie Shanahan (SCO), 4:39.37
4. Freya Colbert (ENG), 4:39.80
5. Ella Jansen (CAN), 4:40.17
6. Jenna Forrester (AUS), 4:41.80
7. Mya Rae Rasmussen (NZL), 4:41.81
8. Tessa Cieplucha (CAN), 4:42.27

Canada’s Summer McIntosh put on an absolute clinic in the women’s 400 IM final, blasting her way to a new Commonwealth Record in a time of 4:29.01.

The time lowers her previous mark of 4:29.12, set in March, and crushes the Games Record of 4:31.76 by over two and a half seconds.

The 15-year-old also breaks her own Canadian and World Junior Records with the swim, which stands up as the fourth-fastest in history. There have only been nine swims in history sub-4:30, and McIntosh now owns two of them.

All-Time Performances, Women’s 400 IM (LCM)

1. Katinka Hosszu (HUN), 4:26.36 – 2016 Olympic Games
2. Ye Shiwen (CHN), 4:28.43 – 2012 Olympic Games
3. Katinka Hosszu (HUN), 4:28.58 – 2016 Olympic Games
4. Summer McIntosh (CAN), 4:29.01 – 2022 Commonwealth Games
5. Summer McIntosh (CAN), 4:29.12 – 2022 Trials Prep Invite
6. Katinka Hosszu (HUN), 4:29.33 – 2017 World Championships
7. Stephanie Rice (AUS), 4:29.45 – 2008 Olympic Games
8. Kirsty Coventry (ZIM) / Katinka Hosszu (HUN), 4:29.89 – 2008 Olympic Games / 2016 Golden Tour – Marseille
9. –
10. Katinka Hosszu (HUN), 4:30.31 – 2009 World Championships

McIntosh was over three seconds faster than she was at the World Championships just over a month ago (4:32.04), indicating we may be in store for some lightning-fast swims throughout the week from the Etobicoke Swimming product.

Claiming the runner-up spot was Australian Kiah Melverton, who sat fourth after the breaststroke but used her strong freestyle to come back and win silver after closing in 29.81 on the last 50.

Melverton’s time of 4:36.78 marked a massive three-second best time, having previously been 4:39.78 in May.

Scotland’s Katie Shanahan (4:39.37) held off England’s Freya Colbert (4:39.80) to win bronze, while Canada’s Ella Jansen (4:40.17) was close behind in fifth. All three set lifetime bests, with Shanahan and Colbert both cracking 4:40 for the first time.

Women’s 200 Freestyle – Final

• Commonwealth Record: 1:53.09, Ariarne Titmus (AUS), 2021 Australian Olympic Trials
• Commonwealth Games Record: 1:54.81, Taylor Ruck (CAN), 2018
• 2018 Commonwealth Champion: Taylor Ruck (CAN), 1:54.81

1. Ariarne Titmus (AUS), 1:53.89 GR
2. Mollie O’Callaghan (AUS), 1:54.01
3. Madi Wilson (AUS), 1:56.17
4. Freya Anderson (ENG), 1:56.83
5. Erika Fairweather (NZL), 1:57.08
6. Lucy Hope (SCO), 1:59.74
7. Katrina Bellio (CAN), 2:00.05
8. Victoria Catterson (NIR), 2:00.65

Ariarne Titmus held off a late charge from Australian teammate Mollie O’Callaghan to claim gold in the women’s 200 freestyle, shattering the Games Record by almost a full second in 1:53.89.

Titmus, who swam a best time of 1:53.09 in 2021 and leads this year’s world rankings with the 1:53.31 she produced in May, dips under the 1:54 threshold for the fourth time in her career, and breaks Taylor Ruck‘s Commonwealth Games Record of 1:54.81 set in 2018.

At those Games four years ago, Titmus was the silver medalist behind Ruck.

O’Callaghan, who was the silver medalist in this event at the World Championships last month, crushed her previous best time of 1:54.94 in 1:54.01, gaining over six-tenths on Titmus over the last 50 with a sizzling 28.28 split.

The 18-year-old O’Callaghan now ranks sixth all-time in the 200 free.

All-Time Performers, Women’s 200 Freestyle (LCM)

1. Federica Pellegrini (ITA), 1:52.98 – 2009 World Championships
2. Ariarne Titmus (AUS), 1:53.09 – 2021 Australian Olympic Trials
3. Allison Schmitt (USA), 1:53.61 – 2012 Olympic Games
4. Katie Ledecky (USA), 1:53.73 – 2016 Olympic Games
5. Siobhan Haughey (HKG), 1:53.92 – 2021 Olympic Games
6. Mollie O’Callaghan (AUS), 1:54.01 – 2022 Commonwealth Games
7. Sarah Sjostrom (SWE), 1:54.08 – 2016 Olympic Games
8. Tang Muhan (CHN), 1:54.26 – 2021 Chinese National Games
9. Yang Junxuan (CHN), 1:54.37 – 2021 Olympic Games
10. Taylor Ruck (CAN), 1:54.44 – 2018 Pan Pacific Championships

Madi Wilson made it the second Aussie sweep of the session, pulling away from Freya Anderson down the last 50 with a 28.90 split to take third in 1:56.17.

Wilson’s bronze medal-winning time was actually faster than the time required for third at the World Championships in June (1:56.25).

Anderson, who was fourth at Worlds in 1:56.68, finishes in the same position here at 1:56.83, while New Zealand’s Erika Fairweather claimed fifth in a personal best time of 1:57.08.

Men’s 100 Backstroke S9 – Final

• Commonwealth Games Record: 1:04.73, Brendan Hall (AUS)
• 2018 Commonwealth Champion: Brendan Hall (AUS), 1:04.73

1. Timothy Hodge (AUS), 1:01.88 GR
2. Jesse Reynolds (NZL), 1:03.65
3. Barry McClements (NIR), 1:05.09
4. Harrison Vig (AUS), 1:05.40
5. Brendan Hall (AUS), 1:05.90
6. Samuel Downie (SCO), 1:11.53
7. Joshua Willmer (NZL), 1:15.80
8. Ashish Kumar Singh (IND), 1:18.21

Australian Timothy Hodge was dominant in claiming gold in the men’s 100 backstroke S9 final, breaking the Games Record by nearly three seconds in a time of 1:01.88.

Hodge, who competes in the S9 category (the final also included S8 swimmers), lowers his previous best of 1:02.20, and moves up one spot on the podium after winning silver four years ago.

New Zealand’s Jesse Reynolds also went under the old Games Record in 1:03.65 for second, while Barry McClements won Northern Ireland’s first-ever Para swimming medal at the Commonwealth Games with a bronze in 1:05.09.

Defending champ Brendan Hall of Australia placed fifth in 1:05.90, having set the previous Games Record of 1:04.73 in 2018.

Women’s 100 Freestyle S9 – Final

• Commonwealth Games Record – S9: 1:02.36, Natalie Du Toit (RSA), 2010
• Commonwealth Games Record – S10: 1:03.96, Lakeisha Patterson (AUS), 2018
• 2018 Commonwealth Champion: Lakeisha Patterson (AUS), 1:03.02

1. Sophie Pascoe (NZL), 1:02.95
2. Emily Beecroft (AUS), 1:03.74
3. Toni Shaw (SCO), 1:03.75
4. Ashleigh McConnell (AUS), 1:04.12
5. Ellie Cole (AUS), 1:04.21
6. Alice Tai (ENG), 1:07.10
7. Katarina Roxon (CAN), 1:07.13
8. Tupou Neiufi (NZL), 1:14.91

New Zealand’s Sophie Pascoe used a quick sub-30 opening 50 to create a lead she would not relinquish in the women’s 100 freestyle S9 final, winning gold in a time of 1:02.95.

Australian Emily Beecroft (1:03.74) out-touched Scotland’s Toni Shaw (1:03.75) for the silver medal. The two swimmers finished fourth and fifth, respectively, four years ago on the Gold Coast.

Men’s 50 Butterfly – Semi-finals

• Commonwealth Record: 22.73, Matt Targett (AUS), 2009 World Championships
• Commonwealth Games Record: 22.93, Ben Proud (ENG), 2014
• 2018 Commonwealth Champion: Chad Le Clos (RSA), 23.37

Finals Qualifiers:

1. Ben Proud (ENG), 23.06
2. Tzen Wei Teong (SGP), 23.24
3. Dylan Carter (TTO), 23.41
4. Jacob Peters (ENG) / Josh Liendo (CAN), 23.51
5. –
6. Lewis Fraser (WAL), 23.56
7. Cameron Gray (NZL), 23.58
8. Adam Barrett (ENG), 23.59

2014 event champion Ben Proud qualified first into the final of the men’s 50 fly but nearly two-tenths in a time of 23.06, just 13 one-hundredths shy of the Games Record he set in 2014 (22.93).

The time is actually faster than Proud was in the World Championship final last month, where he finished seventh in 23.08 (he did go 22.76 in the semis, however).

Singapore’s Tzen Wei Teong, who was eighth at the 2022 World Championships, topped the second semi to qualify second in 23.24, with Trinidad & Tobago’s Dylan Carter (23.41) rounding out the top three.

Carter was the silver medalist in 2018 and finished fourth at last month’s Worlds.

Qualifying sixth, Lewis Fraser re-broke his Welsh Record from the heats in 23.56.

A couple of big names missed the final, most notably defending champion Chad Le Clos (23.67) and top seed out of the prelims Kyle Chalmers (23.65).

All three Australians ended up missing the top eight, with Matt Temple (23.63) ninth, Chalmers 10th, and Cody Simpson (23.87) 14th.

Women’s 50 Breaststroke – Semi-finals

• Commonwealth Record: 29.72, Lara van Niekerk (RSA), 2022 South African Championships
• Commonwealth Games Record: 29.82, Lara van Niekerk (RSA), 2022
• 2018 Commonwealth Champion: Sarah Vasey (ENG), 30.60

Finals Qualifiers:

1. Lara van Niekerk (RSA), 29.80 GR
2. Imogen Clark (ENG), 30.24
3. Chelsea Hodges (AUS), 30.50
4. Jenna Strauch (AUS), 30.89
5. Tatjana Schoenmaker (RSA), 30.94
6. Kara Hanlon (SCO), 31.20
7. Abbey Harkin (AUS), 31.39
8. Kaylene Corbett (RSA), 31.43

South African Lara van Niekerk re-broke the Games Record she set in the prelims of the women’s 50 breast, clocking 29.80 after establishing a new mark of 29.82 this morning.

The 19-year-old holds a best time of 29.72, set earlier this year, which currently stands as the Commonwealth Record.

At last month’s World Championships, van Niekerk won bronze in this event in a time of 29.90.

English swimmer Imogen Clark won the first semi to advance second overall in 30.24, followed by the Australian duo of Chelsea Hodges (30.50) and Jenna Strauch (30.89).

Clark owns a personal best of 30.04, while Hodges set a PB and new Aussie Record of 30.15 earlier this year.

Olympic 200 breast champion Tatjana Schoenmaker, who didn’t compete at Worlds, successfully moves through to the final in fifth after clocking 30.94, though she was well off her best of 30.21.

Defending champion Sarah Vasey of England ended up missing the final in 10th, meaning we’ll see a new champion in this event this year.

It was a very tight battle for the last two finals spots, as Australian Abbey Harkin (31.39), South African Kaylene Corbett (31.43), Canadian Sophie Angus (31.45) and Vasey (31.47) were all within eight one-hundredths of one another. Singapore’s Letitia Sim, who trains in the United States and attends the University of Michigan, wasn’t far behind that quartet in 31.56 for 11th.

Men’s 100 Backstroke – Semi-finals

• Commonwealth Record: 52.11, Mitch Larkin (AUS), 2015 FINA World Cup – Dubai
• Commonwealth Games Record: 53.12, Chris Walker-Hebborn (ENG), 2014
• 2018 Commonwealth Champion: Mitch Larkin (AUS), 53.18

Finals Qualifiers:

1. Pieter Coetze (RSA), 53.67
2. Brodie Williams (ENG), 54.00
3. Andrew Jeffcoat (NZL), 54.01
4. Bradley Woodward (AUS), 54.02
5. Luke Greenbank (ENG), 54.23
6. Mitch Larkin (AUS), 54.26
7. Srihari Nataraj (IND), 54.55
8. Joshua Edwards-Smith (AUS), 54.78

Just as we saw in the prelims, South Africa’s Pieter Coetze was the lone swimmer under 54 seconds in the semi-finals of the men’s 100 backstroke, clocking a time of 53.67 to mark his fastest swim of the year.

Coetze, who missed the World Championships due to COVID-19, owns a best of 53.62 set last year.

England’s Brodie Williams came home strong to claim the victory in the first semi n a time of 54.00, out-touching New Zealand’s Andrew Jeffcoat (54.01) and English teammate Luke Greenbank (54.23).

The swim for Williams marked a new lifetime best, having previously been 54.23 in 2019, as he moves through to the final in second.

Australian Bradley Woodward produced his fastest swim since 2018 to qualify fourth in 54.02, while defending champion Mitch Larkin moves through in sixth at 54.26.

Women’s 100 Butterfly – Semi-finals

• Commonwealth Record: 55.59, Maggie MacNeil (CAN), 2021 Olympic Games
• Commonwealth Games Record: 56.78, Emma McKeon (AUS), 2018
• 2018 Commonwealth Champion: Emma McKeon (AUS), 56.78

Finals Qualifiers:

1. Emma McKeon (AUS), 57.49
2. Maggie MacNeil (CAN), 57.72
3. Brianna Throssell (AUS), 57.99
4. Alex Perkins (AUS), 58.22
5. Katerine Savard (CAN), 58.57
6. Rebecca Smith (CAN), 58.59
7. Harriet Jones (WAL), 58.90
8. Holly Hibbott (ENG), 58.97

Pre-race favorites Emma McKeon and Maggie MacNeil both appeared to be fully in control as they cruised to heat wins in the women’s 100 fly semis, with McKeon putting up the fastest time of the session in 57.49.

McKeon, the defending champion and Tokyo Olympic bronze medalist in this event, was slightly quicker at 57.34 in the heats.

MacNeil, the reigning Olympic champ, was a tad quicker than the prelims to clock 57.72 in second, while Aussie Brianna Throssell joined them sub-58 in 57.99 for third. Throssell placed sixth in this event at the World Championships in 56.98, and hit a PB of 56.96 in the semi-finals there.

It will be an Australian and Canadian affair in the final, as Alex Perkins (58.22) makes it three Aussies in the top eight, and Katerine Savard (58.57) and Rebecca Smith (58.59) join MacNeil to make it three Canucks.

Men’s 200 Breaststroke – Final

• Commonwealth Record: 2:05.98, Zac Stubblety-Cook (AUS), 2022 Australian Championships
• Commonwealth Games Record: 2:07.30, Ross Murdoch (SCO), 2014
• 2018 Commonwealth Champion: James Wilby (ENG), 2:08.05

1. Zac Stubblety-Cook (AUS), 2:08.07
2. James Wilby (ENG), 2:08.59
3. Ross Murdoch (SCO), 2:10.41
4. Matthew Wilson (AUS), 2:10.57
5. Greg Butler (ENG), 2:13.06
6. Maximillian Ang (SGP), 2:13.25
7. James Dergousoff (CAN), 2:13.85
8. Ryan Maskelyne (PNG), 2:16.98

The men’s 200 breast final turned out to be an unexpected barn-burner, as James Wilby gave the English crowd some excitement as he pushed Olympic champion and world record holder Zac Stubblety-Cook all the way through the closing meters.

Wilby got out a fast start, turning in 1:02.10 at the 100, and maintained a lead of 36 one-hundredths of a second over Stubblety-Cook at the 150.

Stubblety-Cook, who set the world record in May at 2:05.98, was able to lean on his closing speed to run down Wilby and solidify the gold medal in a time of 2:08.07, making him the reigning Olympic, World and Commonwealth champion.

The next three swimmers interestingly enough finished in the same order as they did at the 2018 Games on the Gold Coast—just one spot lower.

Wilby, who won the Commonwealth title four years ago, held his stroke together well despite being overtaken by Stubblety-Cook, clocking 2:08.59 to record a time significantly faster than he was at Worlds last month (2:09.85).

Scotland’s Ross Murdoch came back on Australia’s Matthew Wilson to win bronze in 2:10.41, and the 28-year-old was visibly excited with his podium finish. Murdoch, who was the 2014 champion in this race, is set to retire after the Games.

After winning bronze four years ago, Wilson was back in fourth this time in 2:10.57, just shy of his season-best 2:10.14 set in May.

Mixed 4×100 Freestyle Relay – Final

• Commonwealth Record: 3:19.38, Australia, 2022 World Championships
• Commonwealth Games Record: 3:22.14, Australia, 2022
• Relay Lineups

1. Australia, 3:21.18
2. England, 3:22.45
3. Canada, 3:24.86
4. Wales, 3:26.58
5. Scotland, 3:30.71
6. Singapore, 3:31.90
7. Jersey, 3:42.21
8. Kenya, 3:43.33

The Australians claim the first-ever gold medal at the Commonwealth Games in the mixed 400 free relay, slowly pulling away from the English team over the course of the race.

Lewis Burras gave England the lead off the opening leg in 48.28, with Australian William Yang (48.80) half a second back, and then Kyle Chalmers delivered the field’s second-fastest split in 47.55 to put the Aussies up front.

Mollie O’Callaghan (52.62) and Emma McKeon (52.21) then delivered the two fastest female splits in the field to bring Australia in for gold, clocking a time of 3:21.18 to establish a new Games Record after the prelim relay went 3:22.34.

For England, Burras was followed by Tom Dean (48.12), Anna Hopkin (53.27) and Freya Anderson (52.78) as they picked up silver in 3:22.45, just .01 shy of the time the same four swimmers produced representing Great Britain at the World Championships.

Canada, missing three of their top female freestylers, claimed bronze in 3:24.86, getting a solid sub-48 split from Josh Liendo (47.89) and a 53.51 anchor from Maggie MacNeil, both of whom were in the water earlier in the session.

Somewhat surprisingly, the Canadians used Javier Acevedo on the lead-off leg instead of Ruslan Gaziev. Acevedo had raced the 100 back semis about half an hour prior to this relay.

Matt Richards had the fastest split in the field for Wales at 47.51, leading the team to a fourth-place finish in 3:26.58. Richards’ fastest-ever split prior this was the 47.99 he dropped at the World Championships.

The Singaporean team, featuring three Quah siblings (Zheng Wen, Ting Wen and Jing Wen), placed sixth in 3:31.90.