Australia are keenly feeling the absence of superstars Ian Thorpe and Grant Hackett and have yet to land a gold medal at the Commonwealth Games after winning 15 golds at the last Manchester Games.
While Australia’s world champion women lord it over their rivals, winning seven of eight finals on the first three nights, the men are empty-handed.
The Australian men briefly looked likely to break through when Kenrick Monk gave them a clear-cut lead halfway through the 4x200m freestyle relay only for England and Scotland to finish over the top of Josh Krogh in the final leg.
It was the first time Australia hasn’t won the 4x200m relay title at the Commonwealth Games since Auckland in 1950.
England, Scotland and South Africa are cashing in on the weakened Aussie men with England winning four gold, Scotland three and South Africa two.
New Zealand also had a success with Moss Burmester’s win in the 200m butterfly on Thursday.
The closest Australia’s men have come to gold were Matt Welsh’s silver in the 50m butterfly, Travis Nederpelt’s silver in the 200m butterfly and second in the 4x100m freestyle relay behind South Africa.
Ross Davenport, who led an English one-two finish in the 200m freestyle on Friday, said the absence of Thorpe and Hackett should not detract from England’s success in the 4x200m freestyle relay on Saturday.
”On that medal it doesn’t say Australia minus two, it just says Australia and we beat them today,” Davenport said.
England’s 100m breaststroke silver medallist James Gibson believes the home pressure is telling on the Australian men’s swimmers.
”One thing I remember from Manchester is that the crowd bring a lot of pressure and I’m pretty sure Australia are feeling it,” he said.
Golden girl Libby Lenton put the ear-splitting home support into perspective, when she said:”I’ve never been able to swim in front of a home crowd before.
”Sometimes it’s a bit scary, but it’s still a lot of fun. When you are underwater it is so loud, it’s amazing.” – Sapa-AFP