South Africa’s world record holder Cameron Van Der Burgh on Friday won the men’s 50m breaststroke, adding a second gold to his 100m title.
The 22-year-old world champion never looked like losing the race and touched home in a new Games record of 27,17sec, ahead of New Zealand’s Glenn Snyders and Brenton Rickard of Australia, who both finished in 27,67.
Australia’s Christian Sprenger came home next on 27,87.
“I wasn’t expecting to go that fast, but I’m stoked with the time,” said Van Der Burgh.
“I felt really good this morning and felt I was in the best condition for tonight’s race. I’ve had brilliant support from the fans back home and I really appreciate that”
Van Der Burgh’s win was his second over Rickard and Sprenger after beating them in the 100m.
Missed out
Snyders, 23, had tussled with Sprenger during the qualifiers, lowering the Australian’s record that he set earlier this week, only to see it snatched off him again in the semi-final.
Sprenger missed out on the medals in Melbourne, coming sixth.
Rickard, 26, is the world record holder and world champion in the 100m breaststroke and got bronze in the 50m in Melbourne.
The final also featured Tonga’s only Commonwealth Games swimmer, Amini Fonua. The US-based student, 20, was seventh-fastest qualifier and came seventh.
India’s Sandeep Sejwal trailed in eighth. – AFP.