2022 Commonwealth Games: Day 5 Finals Preview

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

FULL START LISTS (no relay lineups)

It’s the penultimate finals session of the 2022 Commonwealth Games. We’ve got two semifinals: the men’s 50 free, and the women’s 50 back but the rest of the events are all medal rounds. On tap for the women is the 100 breast, 200 fly, 100 free, SM10 200 IM, and 800 free. For the men, there’s finals of the 200 back, 100 fly, 50 breast, and S10 100 fly. The session wraps up with the mixed 4×100 medley relay.

Day 5 Full Schedule

• Women’s 100 Breast Final
• Men’s 200 Back Final
• Women’s 200 Fly Final
• Women’s 100 Free Final
• Men’s 100 Fly Final
• Men’s 50 Free Semifinals
• Men’s 50 Breast Final
• Women’s 50 Back Semifinals
• Men’s S10 100 Fly Final
• Women’s SM10 200 IM Final
• Women’s 800 Free Final
• Mixed 4×100 Medley Relay Final

Day 5 Scratch Report

Women’s 50 Back

• SCRATCH: #10 Cassie Wild (SCO)
• IN: #17 Danielle Titus (BAR)

Women’s 100 Breast

Lara van Niekerk courtesy of Fabio Cetti

The South Africans are going for a sweep of the women’s breaststroke events; Lara van Niekerk won the 50 and Tatjana Schoenmaker won the 200. They’re heading into the final as the first and second seeds, 1:05.96 and 1:06.43, respectively. Expect van Niekerk to be out in front at the 50, in the semis, she had the fastest first 50 (30.64) in the field by a wide margin. Van Niekerk and Schoenamker are South Africa’s best chance at the gold medal, but around them, the rest of the field is tightly bunched, so with a good swim, their teammate Kaylene Corbett could find herself in the hunt for a medal.

Australia has three swimmers of their own in the field: Jenna Strauch, Chelsea Hodges, and Abbey Harkin. Hodges qualified third in 1:07.16, putting herself in a strong position heading into the final. Hodges’ lifetime best is 1:05.99 from Australian Olympic Trials, and if she can get within range of it, she has a good chance at a medal. With Molly Renshaw up in lane 2, we look set for a tight race.

Men’s 200 Back

Luke Greenbank (photo: Jack Spitser)

Worlds silver medalist Luke Greenbank swam the fastest time by over a second in prelims, touching in 1:56.33. He’s set himself up to chase the Commonwealth Games record in the final, which is a 1:55.58 from 2010. Greenbank earned his Worlds silver in 1:55.18, so he’s certainly capable of getting the record it just depends what form he’s brought for the final after a quick turnaround from Budapest.

Brodie Williams made it an English 1-2 in prelims, posting 1:57.88 to qualify second. Williams set a lifetime best of 1:55.18 earlier this year, and has shown himself to be in form after medaling in a personal best time in the 100 back. If he can get close to his best tonight, we should be in for a great race between him and Greenbank.

But don’t forget about Bradley Woodward, sitting just behind Williams with a 1:57.99. He could make things interesting too, as could South Africa’s Pieter Coetze, who’ll be aiming for a medal in all three backstroke distances. Defending champion Mitch Larkin made the final as the seventh seed in 1:59.59. Larkin didn’t seem to have it this morning, so we’ll wait and see if he can find his form and pull himself up to the top contenders.

Women’s 200 Fly

Alys Thomas courtesy of Giusy Cisale swimswam.com

Elizabeth Dekkers defended her top seed in dominant fashion, swimming 2:07.62–about a half a second off her seed and two seconds ahead of the next fastest qualifier, Laura Stephens. Without world champion Summer McIntosh, this looks like Dekkers race to lose.

Dekkers split a strong race in prelims, while some of her competitors fell off on the back half, like Stephens. Defending champion Alys Thomas did the same, splitting 1:09.55 on the second 100. She nearly missed the final because of it, but managed to sneak into the final in eighth. For Stephens and Thomas to get close to Dekkers, they’ll need to split a more consistent race in the final.

17-year-old Abbey Connor qualified third, just behind Stephens in 2:09.69. She and Holly Hibbott will be in the mix for a medal as well.

Women’s 100 Free

Mollie O’Callaghan courtesy of Fabio Cetti

On day 4 with her win in the 50 fly, Emma McKeon extended her lead as the most decorated Commonwealth Games gold medalist in history. She’ll look to keep it going in the 100 free; aiming for her 13th gold medal overall but also her first in this event. McKeon blasted out in 25.34 in her semi, then cruised to 53.12 to take the top seed.

The Australian women have already swept the 50 and 200 free podiums, and they’re in a strong position to do the same here. World champion Mollie O’Callaghan qualified second, and Shayna Jack is running third. If McKeon takes her 100 out fast again, it’ll be an interesting duel between her and O’Callaghan, who’s become known for her masterful splitting and closing speed.

The English duo of Anna Hopkin and Freya Anderson are the most likely to be able to disrupt the Aussie sweep. Hopkin finished fourth behind McKeon, Meg Harris, and Jack in the 50, and will be eager to upgrade one spot for a medal.

Men’s 100 Fly

Matthew Temple courtesy of Fabio Cetti

Matt Temple, the fifth-place finisher at Worlds and owner of the fastest personal best in the field, leads the field in the 100 fly with a 51.52. Temple had the fastest second 50 in the field 27.24, which makes him dangerous; if anyone wants to beat him, they’ll either have to blast the first 50 or trust they have enough closing speed to fend off a charging Temple.

There were three other men under 52 in the semifinals; Chad Le Clos out-touched Josh Liendo in the second heat, 51.64 to 51.82. Liendo had raced in the men’s 100 free final earlier in that session, and without that double here will be a huge medal threat. 200 fly bronze medalist James Guy qualified third, with a 51.82.

Speaking of medals, if Le Clos wins one here, he’ll take sole possession of the record for most Commonwealth Games medals in history. As the second seed, he’s set himself up well to achieve that mark.

Men’s 50 Breast

Adam Peaty (photo: Jack Spitser)

After disappointment in the 100 breast, Adam Peaty looks to get back onto the Commonwealth Games podium in the 50 breast. He looked strong through the rounds, and comes into the final as the second seed in 27.03. The only man ahead of him is Australia’s Sam Williamson, who’s lowered his lifetime best in both the prelims and semis. He’ll be in lane four after clocking 27.01 for the fastest time in the field. Williamson took bronze in the 100 breast, and has set himself up well to upgrade the color of his medal.

South Africa’s Michael Houlie swam 27.39 to comfortably grab the third spot. Behind him though, the race is incredibly tight, as the fourth through eighth seeds are separated by just .05 seconds. That includes James Wilby, who won the 100 breast and earned silver in the 200.

Men’s S10 100 Fly

Oliver Carter, photo: @rafaeldomeyko

With the first, second, and third seeds, Australia will dominate the middle of the pool in the men’s S10 100 fly. Top seed is William Martin, who competes in the S9 category at won silver at the 2022 World Para Swimming Championships. Likewise, his teammate in the next lane over, Col Pearse also earned silver in this event at the same meet, but in the S10 category. Here, they’ll go head-to-head. The third Australian in the heat is Alex Anthony Saffy, who earned bronze at Worlds behind Pearse. This is an accomplished trio and not only are we set up for another exciting race, but we’re once again looking at a possible Australian sweep.

Lurking in lane seven is Barry McClements, who won Northern Ireland’s first ever Commonwealth Games swimming medal earlier in the meet with bronze in the men’s S9 100 backstroke. McClements entry time makes him an outside candidate for a medal, but he’s shown here that he’s on form and capable of winning one, so keep an eye on him. Scotland’s representative here will be Oliver Carter. He’s more of a freestyler, but has been having a strong season and could have a drop in him here in the fly.

Women’s SM10 200 IM

Aurelie Rivard – Swimming Canada

Canada’s Aurelie Rivard comes in with the top seed in the women’s SM10 200 IM. She’s entered with a 2:28.73. Rivard won three medals at the World Para Swimming Championships, but didn’t race this event at the meet in Madeira. Less than a second behind her though, is 17-year-old Jasmine Greenwood, who did race this event at Worlds, and won bronze.

With Greenwood’s Australian teammate Kiera Stephens, who finished fourth at Worlds, also in the mix, we’re set for what should be a close race in the middle of the pool.

Women’s 800 Free

LANI PALLISTER,
courtesy of Fabio Cetti

In the women’s 800 free, we could see another Australian medal sweep. With only 10 entrants in the event, none of the top contenders had to put too much effort into their prelims swims, so we should see them get much faster in the final.

Coming in as the top seed is Lani Pallister in 8:32.67. This meet is Pallister’s return to competition since withdrawing from Worlds due to COVID-19 prior to this event’s final. At Australia’s Trials this year, Pallister swam a lifetime best of 8:17.77, so we’ll see if she can get back within range of that tonight. Ariarne Titmus sits second with 8:36.17. Titmus has been on form at this meet, winning the 200 free and ripping the fastest rolling 200 free relay split in history. An on form Titmus will be stiff competition for Pallister, as she’s already been 8:18.59 this season.

The third Australian in the final will be Kiah Melverton. Melverton won silver at Worlds in 8:18.77, dropping over ten seconds from her prelims swim, so watch for her to get a lot faster in the final as well. Trying to disrupt the Australians will be New Zealand’s Eve Thomas. Thomas qualified third in 8:39.01. She finished seventh in Budapest, though she clocked her best time 8:27.82 in prelims. She’ll need to reverse that trend if she wants to get in on the medals.

Mixed 4×100 Medley Relay

Kyle Chalmers, Madi Wilson, Mollie O’Callaghan, Jack Cartwright
courtesy of Fabio Cetti

Australia won the inaugural Commonwealth Games mixed medley relay in 3:45.34, automatically a Games record. They finished almost six seconds ahead of the field with a team Larkin, Williamson, Alex Perkins, and Madi Wilson. When they make their substitutions for the finals relay, they’ll get even faster. Most of the other teams will make substitutions as well, though they might not be enough to beat the Aussies.

The next three teams, England, Canada, and South Africa are all within half a second of each other, promising a close race for the silver and bronze. Scotland moved through to the final in fifth and could also get in on the medal hunt, especially if they bring Duncan Scott onto the relay. Last night, he had the fastest split in the men’s 4×200 free relay, touching in 1:44.48 to anchor Scotland’s bronze medal relay.

Semifinals Quick Hits

• Nobody in the men’s 50 free went anything groundbreaking in prelims, with Ben Proud, Dylan Carter, and Josh Liendo all over a second off their best times. The field should get faster in the semis, and they’ll be looking to unseat Lewis Burras, who holds the top time in 22.09.
• Kylie Masse was .01 seconds off the Commonwealth Games record in the 50 back prelims, touching in 27.57. That was a solid swim for the world champion, but she’s not the only one within reaching distance of the Games record; Bronte Job dropped a lifetime best 27.66 to put herself into medal contention. Her teammates Kaylee McKeown and Molly O’Callaghan also made it through safely to the semis, while SCM world record holder Maggie MacNeil missed out, finishing 20th. UPDATE: MacNeil did not swim the 50 back, the lane 8 swimmer swam in MacNeil’s lane (7), thus her time showed up on the results as MacNeil’s.