South Africa picks up 2 medals in swimming

Team South Africa have got their medals tally off to a flying start on the opening day of competition at the 2010 Commonwealth Games in New Delhi by earning two medals in swimming events.

(Click here to see Day 1 medals tally)

Durban matric pupil Chad Le Clos won the country’s first medal of the competition with victory on the 200m butterfly.

Swimming in lane two Le Clos burst through from nowhere in the final lap to touch first, upstaging a field that included teammate Sebastien Rousseau and England swimmers Paul Rock and Peter Roebuck.

The 18-year-old Le Clos, who competed in his first European galas only last year, was well out of the top three throughout the race, although Rouseau was third going into the final turn.

The South African 4x100m freestyle relay team earned bronze.

The relay team, victors at the 2006 Games in Melbourne, were beaten into third place by Australia and England, but they at least ensured a relay medal for SA for the third successive Games. They won silver in Manchester 2002.

Seebohm faces setback, won't be able to replicate Phelps

Emily Seebohm's quest for eight gold medals in the Commonwealth Games pool ended early with defeat to Australian teammate Alicia Coutts in the 200-meter individual medley, her first final of the games.

Coutts won in 2 minutes, 09.70 seconds Monday with Seebohm finishing in 2:10.83. Julia Wilkinson of Canada took the bronze in 2:12.09.

The race was missing Olympic gold medalist Stephanie Rice, who isn't competing in Delhi due to a shoulder injury.

In other finals, Kylie Palmer of Australia won the 200-meter freestyle, Ryan Cochrane of Canada the 400 freestyle and Chad Le Cos of South Africa the men's 200 butterfly. A men's 400-meter freestyle relay final was scheduled for later Monday.

Seebohm, who was attempting to match American Michael Phelps' feat of eight golds at a meet set at the 2008 Beijing Olympics, was fourth-fastest in the women's 50-meter butterfly semifinals Monday and will swim that final on Tuesday.

Palmer finished in 1 minute, 57.50 seconds, with Jazmin Carlin of Wales earning silver in 1:58.29 and Rebecca Adlington of England, the 400- and 800-meter Olympic champion, taking bronze in 1:58.47.

British royal Prince Charles, who officially opened the games on Sunday, attended the morning session while his youngest brother, Edward, attended the final events later in the day. Prince Edward presented the medals to the Palmer, Carlin and Adlington.

While some of the other venues reported sparse attendances, more than 1,000 clapped in unison to "Land Down Under" when Palmer walked off the pool deck with her gold medal.

Carlin is the first woman from Wales to claim a Commonwealth Games medal in swimming since Patricia Beavan won gold in the 200 breaststroke in 1974.

Adlington said she was surprised by her bronze.

"I definitely didn't expect this at all," she said. "I thought I'd get around maybe fourth or fifth so I'm very happy I got third place."

Two champions from the 2006 Melbourne Games failed to qualify for their finals on Monday morning - Moss Burmester of New Zealand in the 200-meter butterfly and Caitlin McClatchey of Scotland in the 200-meter freestyle.

Burmester was 10th-fastest in the heats of the 200-meter butterfly. McClatchey, the 200-meter freestyle Commonwealth record holder, was 17th.

"I'm really disappointed," she said. "I've had a very inconsistent training program, fitness has been a bit of a problem because I've had a bit of a chest infection. I've lost a little bit of confidence in myself."

Australian Nick D'Arcy's hard-luck story continued. D'Arcy, who was not allowed to compete for Australia at the Beijing Olympics after being convicted of assault in a barroom brawl with a former swimmer, was ninth-fastest in the men's 200 butterfly Monday and failed to advance.

"It's pretty tough," D'Arcy said. "I didn't go as well as I wanted. It's a big international event so it hurts."

D'Arcy's coach Brian Stehr said his swimmer was "a shadow of his former self."

"I really don't know what the problem was, but it's obviously another setback for Nick," Stehr said.

Australian swimming squad checks in Delhi

The strong 52-member Australian swimming team, which was training in Kuala Lumpur flew down here Wednesday night.

Australian swimmer Eamon Sullivan tweeted describing the conditions in the Games Village as “excellent”

“First night in Delhi down. The apartments are beautiful. Going to the food hall to explore!", he tweeted.

Andrew Lauterstein seemed to be enjoying the village: "Living large in the Village,” he tweeted.

Some swimmers had spent time in the team camp in Malaysia deliberating on whether or not to compete in India.

"There have been (security) concerns right before we came to right to when we were here but not enough to stop them from coming," said head coach Leigh Nugent.

Nugent believes that every Australian team would have had concerned athletes.

"We are no different," Nugent said.

Nugent expressed his relief that all had chosen to travel.

"We sure are (happy)," Nugent said. "Racing starts Monday so we are looking forward to that."

Nugent thinks this team can achieve the Melbourne Commonwealth Games tally of over 50 medals, despite the fact that there are 31 debutants this time around.

"They are good enough," Nugent said.

While the other sports may have been depleted due to withdrawals, the pool is set to be a world class battle with England and Australia set to vie for the top spot on the medals table.

England's team members have been talking up their chances - Australia weren't.

"We will leave the talking to the swimming pool," Nugent said.

England were second to Australia in the swimming medals table in Melbourne with eight golds, 11 silvers and four bronzes. Team England contains Great Britain team members who won a best-ever third spot in the European Championships in August.

The six-day pool programme starts Oct 4.

Stephanie Rice out of Commonwealth Games

Wiping tears from her eyes, Australian swimming's golden girl Stephanie Rice was forced to bow to the inevitable and abandon the Commonwealth Games.

The triple Beijing Olympic gold medal winner had hoped to put off surgery on her inflamed right shoulder until after spearheading the Australian squad at the Delhi Games in October but pain finally made her accept she should stop swimming immediately.

If she delayed the arthroscopic surgery, the 22-year-old Queenslander risked permanent damage and derailing her hopes at the 2012 Olympics in London.

"I think it is the right decision," said Rice, who at one point during her announcement burst into tears and had to walk away to compose herself.

The decision came a day after she swam a 50m butterfly heat on day one at the Pan Pacific Championships in California. Rice failed to make the final and was scheduled to swim two other events, however the shoulder injury flared.

"The real test was how it would pull up after a hard race," Rice said. "It pulled up really sore."

Rice will fly home and undergo the operation in Melbourne within two weeks, leaving a big hole in the Australian team at the PanPacs and Commonwealth Games.

"She is the spearhead of our women's team, if not the whole team," said Australian team head coach Leigh Nugent.

"To have someone of Steph's calibre and persona not to be representing on the team is a disappointment not only for her, (her coach) Michael (Bohl) but the whole team and I think that transfers to the Australian public.

Rice's team-mates echoed Nugent.

"Losing a team-member is devastating," said fellow Olympic gold medalist Leisel Jones.

Rice had been expected to swim the 100m butterfly, 200m individual medley, the 400m IM and 4x200m relay at the Commonwealth Games, Nugent said.

Rice won the 200m IM and 400m IM gold at the Beijing Olympics and led the Australian women to first in the 4x200m freestyle relay.

She is now focused on getting her shoulder right ahead of next year's national trials for the 2011 world championships.

"They have told me rehab is 12 weeks. I guess four weeks out of the water if surgery goes well," Rice said.

Rice's injury is not just one inflamed joint in her shoulder, but three joints, making surgery inevitable.

She has had seven cortisone injections in the shoulder, which is three more than what doctors recommend.

If she had more it could cause structural damage that could end her career.

"It is really inflamed," Rice said.

"There's three parts in your shoulder - the bursa, the capsule and a joint - and they are all inflamed.

"It's not just one problem so I can get rid of one issue, but the others are there.

"I have to have a clean out surgery. Thankfully I don't have to have a reconstruction so it is a shorter rehab."

"It's very disappointing, the Melbourne Commonwealth Games was a fantastic event to be part of, and for me personally, and I was really looking forward to the colour and excitement of Delhi.

"To not be able to compete at 100 per cent here at the PanPacs has been hard enough, but to make the decision to withdraw from the Commonwealth Games has been very difficult."

England release first list of swimmers for CWG

Double Olympic champion Rebecca Adlington and world champions Liam Tancock and Gemma Spofforth have all been selected to represent England at the Commonwealth Games in Delhi in October.

The trio are among a 29-strong swimming team who will travel to India for the Games which take place from October 3 to 14 but a notable absentee at this point is Olympic and world medallist Joanne Jackson, whose ongoing health problems have decimated her season so far.

The 23-year-old's training has been pretty much obliterated by the severe asthma brought on by flu and a chest infection.

(Click here to see list of British swimmers for Commonwealth Games.)

As a result of having to breathe so much harder, Jackson's ribs have been popping out during training and at the recent British Gas Championships in Sheffield, which served as the first Commonwealth trials as well as GB selection for the European Championships in Budapest in August, the Loughborough swimmer was unable to speak after the 200metres freestyle final in which she came third.

Jackson then withdrew from the 800m and did not take up her place in the 400m final, won by Adlington.

By virtue of her efforts over four lengths, Jackson booked at least a relay spot on the 4x200m freestyle relay squad for Budapest and she has two more chances to qualify for Delhi.

Other notable names for Delhi include world 100m freestyle silver medallist Fran Halsall, double world backstroke finalist Lizzie Simmonds, who has been on scorching form this year, Keri-Anne Payne, world open water champion who will focus on the pool and Achieng Ajulu-Bushell who has been selected for England for the first time after deciding to switch sporting nationality from Kenya.

Up-and-coming swimmers Aimee Wilmott and Rebecca Turner will also travel to Delhi.

Tancock heads the men's team as he looks to claim the 50m and 100m backstroke double after taking silver and gold four years ago along with Simon Burnett and Ross Davenport, who each won double gold in Melbourne.

The likes of James Goddard, 200m backstroke champion eight years ago in Manchester, will be joined by highly-rated prospects Roberto Pavoni, Robert Bale and Adam Brown, who all won in Sheffield recently.

Craig Hunter, chef de mission of the England team in Delhi, said: "I'd like to welcome our first group of swimmers to the England team for Delhi and wish them the very best in their continuing preparations for the 2010 Commonwealth Games."

John Atkinson, England's swimming team leader, said: "The swimmers selected for the England team can now begin their preparations for Delhi in earnest. For the others that didn't meet the qualification criteria there are still 13 places available on the team.

"Having an early trials will give the selected swimmers the chance to have a longer preparations and the later trials gives those swimmers that are hitting form later in the year a chance to make the team," he added.

"I look forward to seeing the performances at our later trials as the athletes try to qualify for the Games."

A further 13 swimmers can earn selection at the European Championships in August and the British Gas ASA National Championships in Sunderland.

There have been security concerns surrounding the Games following a number of incidents in India, the most recent at the weekend when the Indian Premier League match between Royal Challengers Bangalore and Mumbai Indians was delayed due to two bomb explosions outside the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bangalore.

Of the security issues, Adlington has complete faith in the team bosses.

She told "They send us out emails all the time about security and I think if any individual swimmer has a real concern we raise that issue with the bosses and go to them directly.

"At the minute we are still planning on going and will still hopefully be able to compete but if anything happens in the meantime just straight away they would pull out because they have got our best interests at heart and they want us to do well as well.

"They are on top of it so we leave it in their hands."

8 SA swimmers set for Commonwealth Games

Three more swimmers achieved qualifying times for the 2010 Commonwealth Games in New Delhi in October on the fifth day of the Telkom South Africa Swimming Senior National Championships yesterday.

Darian Townsend (KZN) and Sebastien Rousseau (WP) fought out a closely contested final of the men’s 200m individual medley with Townsend always in the driving seat to win in 2:00.10 and Rousseau’s 2:01.01 was also good enough to beat the target time of 2:01.40.

Gideon Louw also qualified with a semi-final winning time of 22.34 in the 50m freestyle, to bring the total to eight swimmers altogether.

Both Roland Schoeman, in the 50m free semi-finals, and Wendy Trott, in the 400m freestyle, also achieved qualifying times but they had earlier qualified in the 50m butterfly and 800m freestyle respectively.

It was the busiest night of the week-long championships, with no less than nine senior finals (four male and five female), eight disabled finals and four youth finals making for 21 finals in all.

But it took some time before the crowd began to have something to cheer about, the opening four races, all senior finals, failing to produce any spectacular performances.

The first two CG qualifying times to be achieved were both in the men’s semi-finals of the 50m freestyle with the target set at 22.35.

Louw (NT) scraped under it by 0.01 second in 22.34 in the first heat and then it was the turn of Schoeman to cap it with a splendid swim of 22.16 that put him at the top of the list of qualifiers for Saturday’s final.

Challenging Schoeman and Louw will be Graeme Moore, Werner Bosman, Gregor Widmer, Donaven van der Merwe, Jason Lawson, Greg Kieck and Nico Meyer.

The dependable Trott was in a class of her own in the women’s 400m freestyle final as she cruised to victory in 4:08.57, just 0.19 second off her own national record of 4:08.38 at the Beijing Olympics wearing a fast suit.

But her time was also good enough to earn her a second qualifying time for this year’s Games to go with the 800m free she claimed on Thursday.

Townsend had earlier taken the 100m butterfly final by the scruff of the neck with his aim more to gain a place in the men’s 4 x 100m medley relay at the forthcoming Games than with the intention of eclipsing the Games qualifying time of 52.86.

Pushed all the way by his KZN teammate, Chad le Clos, Townsend hit the pads in 53.40, Le Clos in 53.53 with Gauteng’s Neil Watson also in the mix in 53.53.73.

Cameron van der Burgh (NT) captured his second breaststroke title of the meet, adding the 50m to the 100m he won on Wednesday, but exactly three- tenths of a second slower than the Games QT with a time of 27.93.

Donaven van der Merwe (KZN, 28.67) was second and Giulio Zorzi (NT, 28.78) third.

At least four swimmers in the men’s 100m backstroke final were seeking a qualifying time, Charl van Zyl, Ricky Ellis, Darren Murray and Gerhard Zandberg.

But Van Zyl’s winning time of 55.73 just missed the QT of 55.14 with the other three times even slower.

Karin Prinsloo was slow off the blocks at the start of the 50m free but still managed to outperform her Northern Tigers teammate, Vanessa Mohr, to win in 26.29, Mohr finishing in 26.73 and Jo-Mari van Zyl (CG, 27.11) third.

It was a double for Prinsloo after her success in the 100m free on Wednesday.

There was a blanket finish in the 100m breaststroke final, only 0.31 second separating the first three finishers, Taryn Mackenzie (CG, 1:12.20), Ronwyn Roper (KZN, 1:12.42) and Marguerite van Zyl (CG, 1:12.51) all clustered together at the timing pads.

But the title went to Mackenzie as did the 50m breast on Tuesday, but in too slow a time for a Games qualifier (1:09.01).

Mandy Loots put up another good performance to win the 200m backstroke in 2:14.88 going away from Jessica Ashley-Cooper (2:16.30) and Natasha de Vos (2:17.28).

Chanelle van Wyk swam a slower time in the final of the 50m backstroke than she did in getting a QT on Thursday evening, but took the title in 29.28 from Prinsloo (29.41) and Ashley- Cooper (29.62).

Uganda name 4 swimmers for Commonwealth Games

Uganda Swimming Federation (USF) has named a team of four to start preparations ahead of the Commonwealth Games slated for New Delhi, India in October. Swimmer of the year Jamila Lunkuse, Ganzi Mugula, captain Sharif Kakooza and Olivia Infield Nakiyingi were selected after the first national time trials held over the weekend at International School of Uganda in Lubowa.

"Right from Rome (FINA World championship) in January, these four have shown consistency in their times in the pool," said Peter Mugisha, the USF Secretary. Lunkuse (14), the youngest on the team, will take part in the freestyle and 50m breaststroke, where she won a Bronze medal at the Africa Zone 4 championship Kenya.

Mugula, 27, will compete in the men's 50m Butterfly and 200m Individual Medley, while Kakooza (23) is lined up for the men's 100m freestyle and breaststroke. Nakiyingi,22, will represent the country in the women's 50m backstroke. The four swimmers will be considered for the forthcoming international events that include World Youth Games in August and the 10th FINA world finals.

SA swimming: Basson and Chad book CWG seat

National record-breaking took a back seat at Monday night’s opening night of finals at the SA Senior National Championships and 2010 Commonwealth Games Trials being staged at the King's Park Aquatic Centre in Durban.

The main focus of the top swimmers was on making qualifying times to be considered for the 2010 Games in New Delhi in October.

With these times being out of reach for most, it was all the more satisfying for Chad le Clos who powered his way past title-holder, Sebastian Rousseau over the last 50 metres to win the men’s 200m butterfly in 1:56.86.

This was 0.81 faster than the qualifying time for the Games and equalled Le Clos’ lifetime best for the event set last year when wearing the now banned “fast suits”.

“You can’t possibly know how I feel at this moment,” said the 18-year-old Westville Boys High learner.

“There is so much pressure on us to reproduce times we set previously with the new suits.” He said he had set out to just race against Rousseau and beat him, something he had never been able to achieve before.

“I didn’t expect to beat him at all,” said Le Clos.

It was the perfect birthday present to himself for he turned 18 on Monday and it also the first time he has won a senior national title.

Mark Randall (Border) also put up an outstanding performance when beating event title holder Jean Basson in the 400m freestyle final.

The 24-year-old Alabama Univ student was content to be up with the pace-setters Riaan Schoeman and Basson for three-quarters of the race and made his move over the last 100m to win in 3:49.97, only one-hundredth of a second outside the Commonwealth Games qualifying time (3:49.96).

Basson touched in 3:51.01 for second place and Schoeman in 3:51.86 for third.

It is two years since Randall has swum in his home country after taking some time out to refocus his future.

“I’ve still got the 1500m free to swim,” he said, “and it’s the distance I prefer so, make no mistake, I will be aiming for a qualifying time when it comes around.” Defending title-holder, Leone Vorster, was disappointed with her winning time of 1:59.68 in the women’s 200m freestyle final, saying she had hoped to go faster but that she had not been pushed by the other swimmers.

She finished almost two seconds ahead of fast-finishing Wendy Trott (WP; 2:01.39) who pipped Greek swimmer, Eleni Kosti (2:01.55), for second place.

“I had no idea where I was (in relation to the other swimmers) just when I needed to know,” said the 22-year-old marketing student from Polokwane who has spent the past three years studying for a marketing degree at the University of Arizona.

Vorster is the national record holder (1:58.78) for this event, a time she set last year, and has been consistently achieving good times ever since and probably should be given a chance to compete at the Commonwealth Games having just missed qualifying for last year’s World Championships as well.

Veteran butterfly specialist, Mandy Loots (CG), showed at 31 years she can still hold her own as she claimed victory in the 200m individual medley, leaving Jessica Pengelly (WP, 18) and Bianca Meyer (KZN, 20) in her wake.

Loots’ winning time of 2:17.75 was two-and-a-half seconds outside the CG qualifying time with Pengelly second in 2:18.04 and Meyer quite satisfied to come third in 2:18.49.

Results from the first-day of the Telkom SA Senior National Championships and 2010 Commonwealth Games Trials, on Monday (AQT A Standard Qualifying Time)

MEN

400m freestyle, final: 1 Jean Basson (CG) 3:48.58 (AQT), 2 Jay-Cee Thompson (KZN) 3:49.33, 3 Riaan Schoeman (KZN) 3:50.31

200m butterfly, final: 1 Chad le Clos (KZN) 1:56.86, 2 Sebastien Rousseau (WP) 1:58.09, 3 Wesley Gilchrist (KZN) 2:00.69

WOMEN

200m freestyle, final: 1 Leone Vorster (NT), 2 Wendy Trott (WP), 3 Eleni Kosti (GRE), 4 Jessica Pengelly (WP)

200m individual medley, final: 1 Mandy Loots (CG) 2:17.75, 2 Jessica Pengelly (WP) 2:18.04, 3 Bianca Meyer (KZN) 2:18.49

New Zealand's CWG swimming squad

The New Zealand Commonwealth Games team for New Delhi in October began taking shape today with the naming of a 12-member strong swim squad.

(Read: New Zealand's badminton team for Commonwealth Games)

The announcement followed the week-long national swimming championships in Auckland.

With those up for selection needing to demonstrate a capability of a top-six finish in New Delhi, Swimming New Zealand said its selectors successfully put a case to the New Zealand Olympic Committee to extend the squad's from an original figure of seven.

The change was based on a re-evaluation of recent times worldwide.

Swimming NZ performance and pathways general manager Jan Cameron said the initial qualification targets agreed with the NZOC were set against world times 12 months ago.

Since then, times around the world, particularly at the Australian trials last month, had eased back after the introduction of new regulations relating to bodysuits.

"The initial Swimming New Zealand qualification times agreed with the NZOC were set against the world times 12 months ago," Cameron said.

"Times around the world and particularly in the recent Australian Trials have eased back from those targets that we had to set under the swimming environment 12 months ago with the new Fina (International Swimming Federation) suit regulations.

"We have applied exactly the same criteria of top six ranking in the Commonwealth based on these latest results and information.

"We have adjusted the criteria to 890 Fina points and under this weighting it means there are an additional five swimmers under the qualifying ranking for the Commonwealth Games.

"The NZOC selectors were satisfied that all the swimmers meet the top six selection criteria."

(Read: New Zealand's badminton team for Commonwealth Games)

The New Zealand Commonwealth Games team is expected to total about 185 competitors in 18 sports.

The New Zealand swimming squad:

Daniel Bell (North Shore) 100m backstroke, 200m backstroke;

Lauren Boyle (North Shore) 200m freestyle, 400m freestyle, 4x200m freestyle relay

Moss Burmester (North Shore) 200m butterfly

Melissa Ingram (North Shore) 200m backstroke

Hayley Palmer (North Shore) 100m freestyle, 4x100m freestyle relay

Glenn Snyders (North Shore) 50m breaststroke, 100m breaststroke

Natalie Wiegersma (Waverley, Southland) 200m individual medley, 400m individual medley

Tash Hind (Capital) 200m freestyle, 4x200m freestyle relay, 4x100m freestyle relay

Penelope Marshall (North Shore) 200m freestyle, 4x200m freestyle relay, 4x100m freestyle relay

Amaka Gessler (Aqua Gym) 4x200m freestyle relay, 4x100m freestyle relay

Emily Thomas (North Shore) 100m backstroke

Kukla's presence to add to excitement

Yolane Kukla's appearance on scene is already created ripples as she managed to slug it out with heavyweights and come on top not in one but two events. In the process, she booked her place for 2010 Commonwealth Games to be held in Delhi.

Standing on the blocks awaiting the start of last night's 50m freestyle final, 14-year-old Yolane Kukla looked like she was representing Lilliput against a field of Gullivers.

On one side of the 165cm pocket-sized teenager was 185cm Marieke Guehrer; on the other was the similarly towering 181cm frame of Cate Campbell.

Asked if this week has been daunting, she replied "It is a little bit because they are quite tall. Especially Cate and Marieke because they are super-tall compared to me, but I think I've got used to it during the meet."

It may be daunting but it didn't show, as she swam 25.08 seconds to win the freestyle final, adding to the 50m butterfly title she won on Wednesday.

Australia's youngest swimming team member since Ian Thorpe in 1997 is starting to get a full book of swims for the Pan Pacs in August and Commonwealth Games in October.

"It feels really good. I never thought I'd even win a national title at my age; now I've got two. I keep on telling Mum every time I wake up in the morning I'm going [to Delhi].", Kukla said.

The key to her win was that start. She was clearly the first off the blocks and is showing no ill effects or tentativeness from false starting and being disqualified from the 100m freestyle final. "I lost quite a bit of confidence when I broke the other night but I practised my starts in warm-up this morning and I got my confidence back."

Second was Alice Mills in 25.13s with Campbell, the Olympic bronze medal winner from Beijing, third in 25.15s. Coincidentally, Kukla's time is identical to the time swum by Libby Lenton in 2003 when she won her first senior national title.

After a frustrating week, Andrew Lauterstein decided it was time to get angry last night, and the transition worked as he won the 100m butterfly final in a smart time of 51.79s. "I don't normally swim with emotion but tonight I tried it and it seemed to work," he said.

"It was a bit of a strange swim. I attacked it with a bit more aggression than normal and maybe I need that sort of mental approach for the rest of my swims. I just didn't want to leave anything behind. I got pretty angry, angry at nothing, just not swimming well at the start of the week and angry at wanting to swim well."

Leisel Jones won her 22nd national title last night when she made a clean sweep of the breaststroke events adding the 100m to the 50m and 200m she won earlier this week. Her time of 1min.05.79s is only 0.7s outside her Commonwealth record set four years ago.

Brenton Rickard will be looking to emulate Jones tonight in the 200m breaststroke, having won the 50m version [27.40s] last night to go with his 100m breaststroke title earlier this week, while backstroker Hayden Stoeckel achieved the treble with his victory last night in the 100m event in a time of 53.61s.

In other finals last night, Belinda Hocking won the 200m backstroke in 2min.07.89s, Bronte Barratt won the 400m freestyle in 4min.05.50s, Emily Seebohm won the 50m backstroke in 27.95s and Leith Brodie took out the 200m individual medley in 1min.59.60s.

CWG: Australia names 48 members for swimming events

AUSTRALIA have named a 48-strong squad for October's Commonwealth Games in Delhi. There will be 25 male participants and 23 female participants in various swimming events. Queensland will have maximum representation in the squad with as many as 25 members from the state.

(Click here to see list of Australian athletes selected for Commonwealth Games)

Australian squad will be led by Triple Olympic Gold medallist Stephanie Rice. The squad is a mix of old and new with as many as 27 new faces.

The list of swimmers is as follows:

Commonwealth Games squad Male (25): Daniel Arnamnart (NSW), Leith Brodie (QLD), Craig Calder (NSW), Ashley Callus (QLD), Nicholas D'Arcy (QLD), Ashley Delaney (VIC), Tommaso D'Orsogna (WA), Nicholas Ffrost (QLD), Thomas Fraser-Holmes (NSW), Jayden Hadler (QLD), Geoff Huegill (NSW), Robert Hurley (NSW), Andrew Lauterstein (NSW), Ryan Napoleon (QLD), Cameron Prosser (VIC), Brenton Rickard (QLD), Christian Sprenger (QLD), Hayden Stoeckel (SA), Eamon Sullivan (NSW), Christopher Wright (QLD), Peter Leek (NSW), Matthew Cowdrey (SA), Ben Austin (NSW), Blake Cochrane (QLD), Andrew Pasterfield (NSW).

Commonwealth Games squal Female (23):
Bronte Barratt (QLD), Alicia Coutts (QLD), Sophie Edington (QLD), Blair Evans (WA), Felicity Galvez (NSW), Katie Goldman (QLD), Marieke Guehrer (VIC), Melissa Gorman (QLD), Samantha Hamill (QLD), Belinda Hocking (NSW), Leisel Jones (VIC), Sarah Katsoulis (VIC), Yolane Kukla (QLD), Samantha Marshall (NSW), Alice Mills (QLD), Meagen Nay (QLD), Kylie Palmer (QLD), Leiston Pickett (QLD), Stephanie Rice (QLD), Jessicah Schipper (QLD), Emily Seebohm (QLD), Ellie Cole (VIC), Annabelle Williams (QLD).

Stephanie Rice ready to swim at CWG

Stephanie Rice booked a place at the 2010 Commonwealth Games in Delhi when she won the 200m individual medley at the Australian selection trials here on Tuesday.

Rice swam a time of 2:10.07 to edge out fellow Queenslanders Emily Seebohm (2:10.75) and Alica Coutts (2:11.97).

With the first two placegetters in each final being guaranteed selection for the October Commonwealth Games, Rice is assured of a spot on the Delhi team.

The triple Olympic gold medallist has previously spoken of her unease at going to Delhi following threats of terrorism aimed at athletes but she made no mention of her concerns immediately after the race.

She was joined on the team by Nick Darcy, who cruised to an easy win in the men's 200m butterfly in a time of 1:54.61, well ahead of second placed Chris Wright (1:56.23).

Darcy has not been on an Australian team since 2007 due to a conviction for assault following the 2008 Beijing Olympics selection trials.

Other winners on the opening night included Blair Evans in the women's 200m freestyle in a time of 1:57.38 and Robert Hurley in the men's 400m freestyle in 3:47.67.

Commonwealth Games' baton scales Rock of Gibraltar

The Queen's Baton 2010 Delhi added the cable car to the different modes of transport on its journey across the Commonwealth. The Commonwealth Games baton took a ride to ascend the famous Rock of Gibraltar on Thursday during its visit to the self-governing territory.

The relay started with Gibraltar's school children and athletes taking it on a relay walk. Minister for Sport Mr Edwin Reyes launched the walk at Victoria Stadium. Commonwealth Games Federation Vice President Mr. Ian Emmerson and Mr. Flower were also present.

Mr. Reyes emphasized the significance of the Queen's Baton's presence in Gibraltar. "We are a part of the Commonwealth family and the fact that it is here is hugely important. The fact that the baton relay comes to Gibraltar means she is playing her part as part of this large family," he said.

Mr Flower spoke of the importance of having the baton in Gibraltar. "It goes to all the countries of the Commonwealth, and it means that we are living the Commonwealth which is very important in this day and age. It is also important to make young people aware of the Commonwealth so that they now that we are involved too as members," he said.

Prospective Delhi 2010 athletes from swimming, athletics, shooting, tennis and hockey came together on the relay that was met at Casemates Square by the Gibraltar Re-enactment Society Group. The relay concluded at the House of Assembly where it was met by the Mayor of Gibraltar, Ms. Olga Zammit.

Zammitt spoke on behalf of the citizens of Gibraltar emphasizing that they are proud to be a part of the Commonwealth Games. "I hope all the participants enjoy the Games in the spirit of friendship, peace and harmony," she said. "These are the qualities that we cherish here in Gibraltar and they are prominent among the aims of the vibrant community of nations that make up the Commonwealth."