South Africa’s Roland Schoeman won his third gold medal — and South Africa’s eighth gold — at the Commonwealth Games with victory in the men’s 50m freestyle final on Tuesday.
The United States-based sprinter broke Australian Brett Hawke’s Games record of 22,30 seconds in winning gold in 22,03 seconds from Canada’s Brent Hayden (22,19) and Hawke (22,31).
Schoeman has been feeling under the weather this week but he got away to a flying start off the blocks and held on to his advantage to the finish.
“I’m excited, it’s awesome,” Schoeman said of his third victory at the Games.
“I knew I needed to have a better start in the final and fortunately I did,” he said. “I touched the wall and saw there wasn’t anyone too close to me and I thought, ‘Yeah.'”
Schoeman’s other gold medals at the Games came in the 50m butterfly and as a member of South Africa’s 4x100m freestyle relay team.
Discus
South Africa’s Elizna Naude won the women’s discus title at the Games on Tuesday.
The 27-year-old, sixth in the Games four years ago, posted a best throw of 61,55m to edge out India’s Seema Antil, while Dani Samuels of Australia took the bronze with her last effort, edging out former world champion Beatrice Faumuina of New Zealand.
Naude’s triumph gave South Africa their third gold in the athletics competition, and ninth overall, following Janus Robberts in the men’s shot put and Sunette Viljoen in the women’s javelin.
Shooting
Earlier on Tuesday, shooter Diane Swanton won South Africa’s seventh gold of the Commonwealth Games on Tuesday in the women’s trap title.
The 25-year-old from Pretoria marked her Games debut with a score of 92, six better than Rebecca Madyson who took silver for Malta with 86.
Swanton, whose brother Byron goes for gold in the men’s double trap on Wednesday, shot 92 targets from a possible 100, having finished the qualification round with 72 from 75, equalling the Games record.
“I’m overwhelmed,” said Swanton. “This is a first for me, so I am very happy.” — AFP