Commonwealth Preview – Day 5 Finals – Aussie 100 free battles and a World Record on high alert

DAY 5 FINALS – 2014 COMMONWEALTH GAMES

• Finals start at 7PM Glasgow time; 2PM US East Coast time, 2AM Sydney time, 8PM South Africa time

DAY 5 FINALS – EVENT TIMELINE

All times local Glasgow time

• 7:07 pm – Men’s 200 backstroke – Final
• 7:14 pm – Women’s 800 freestyle – Final
• 7:37 pm – Men’s Parasport 200 IM – final
• 7:56 pm – Men’s 50 freestyle – Semi final 1
• 8:01 pm – Men’s 50 freestyle – Semi-final 2
• 8:05 pm – Women’s 50 backstroke – Semi-final 1
• 8:09 pm – Women’s 50 backstroke – Semi-final 2
• 8:26 pm – Women’s 100 breaststroke– Final
• 8:32 pm – Women’s 200 butterfly – Final
• 8:49 pm – Men’s 50 breaststroke – Final
  
• 9:14 pm – Women’s 100 freestyle – Final
  
• 9:20 pm – Men’s 100 butterfly – Final

ALL THE LINKS YOU NEED TO FOLLOW THE 2014 COMMONWEALTH GAMES CAN BE FOUND HERE

Aussie Sprint Rematch heats up

Just last night, Australian freestyle extraordinaires James Magnussen and Cameron McEvoy went head-to-head, with Magnussen coming out on top in the 100 free. That avenged his loss to the younger McEvoy at the Australian championships. The two will meet again tonight, albeit in different semi-finals of the 50 free. McEvoy also beat Magnussen at Australian nationals in this shorter distance, but Magnuessen seems keen on reclaiming his title of top sprinter in the land down under, even if neither man was able to put up a season-best in the 100 free final.

They’re not the only two to watch tonight, although their national rivalry has been one of the entertaining stories of these Games. England’s Ben Proud and fellow Aussie Matt Abood are also right in the thick of things, and should make both semi-finals hard-fought battles. Proud should take on McEvoy with Trinidad & Tobago’s George Bovell also in the hunt, and Abood and Magnussen will race South Africa vet Roland Schoeman in the other semi.

World Record on High Alert in Men’s 50 Breast

For one of the shortest finals of the night, the men’s 50 breast has no shortage of storylines. First and foremost is a World Record watch, as South Africa’s Cameron van der Burgh came within .13 of his own world mark in the semifinals. Van der Burgh’s 26.67 was set in 2009, before the outlawing of the rubberized “super-suits,” but he’s nearly returned to that same level in textile 5 years later.

Behind van der Burgh is Brit Adam Peaty, searching for yet another upset opportunity. Peaty knocked off van der Burgh in the 100 breast in one of the Games’ biggest upsets, and then followed that up by stealing the Commonwealth Games record in the 50 during prelims. But van der Burgh struck back with his big semi-final swim, and now Peaty’s got his work cut out for him to complete another underdog win.

Meanwhile the third seed is Australian Christian Sprenger – heading into the season, he and van der Burgh were the clear 1 and 2 in the world in both sprint races, but Sprenger has struggled these games while dealing with a shoulder injury. He missed the championship final of the 100 breast, but seemed to bounce back in a big way here, taking the 3-seed out of semifinals in the 50. Can he overcome injuries to top his old rival van der Burgh, perhaps taking over the World Record in the process?

Sister Act 2 comes to women’s 100 free

Cate and Bronte Campbell already teamed up as members of the World Record-setting 4×100 free relay on opening night, but now they’ll face off in the 1o0 free final. Cate has been lighting things up this season, holding the top time in the world in this event since April. It’s actually Bronte who holds the Commonwealth Games record, having set it with her leadoff leg on that relay.

Between the sisters and Emma McKeon, Australia holds the top three seeds in this race, and could be in line for a 1-2-3 finish. That’s easier said than done, though, with an incredibly tough field behind them. Bahamian Arianna Vanderpool-Wallace is the 4-seed, and England’s Fran Halsall has had a monster of a meet, topping both Campbells for the 50 free win and also taking gold in the 50 fly. She’ll try to extend that speed to break up another Aussie sweep here.