Aussie star chases down Thorpe record in epic finale

By Ian Chadband

Kyle Chalmers has flown to an emotional landmark triumph in his farewell Commonwealth Games race, splashing and dashing to the Glasgow 50m butterfly crown that’s earned him an amazing 10th gold.

But Port Lincoln’s ‘Big Tuna’, resigned to the end of his domestic 100m freestyle reign after his defeat by Flynn Southam 24 hours earlier, had to share his glorious moment with compatriot Ben Armbruster as they both hit the wall together in a Games record 22.73 seconds.

After his grievous disappointment in the 100m free, Chalmers responded as only the great champions can by also downing his fellow big gun and ‘superdad’ Cam McEvoy, who took bronze in yet another Australian 1-2-3 in the Tollcross pool.

The amazing denouement for the 13th Games medal of the 28-year-old’s career finally propelled Chalmers past the all-time Australian men’s Games record of 10 golds and one silver, won by Ian Thorpe.

The landmark milestone came as Australia’s all-conquering team stormed to a new record tally of golds at a single Games, surpassing the previous mark of 28 at Gold Coast 2018.

Queensland speedster Meg Harris thrust herself to the verge of joining the elite band of swimmers who’ve scooped six golds at a Commonwealth Games by leading another green-and-gold sweep in the 50m freestyle.

The 24-year-old, who sensationally beat Mollie O’Callaghan in the blue riband 100m free, completed a sprint freestyle double to capture her fifth crown in all.

She clocked 24.23, Alex Perkins took silver in 24.53 to go with her four golds, and Shayna Jack, in her final international race, got bronze in 24.57.

With Kai Taylor earning a shock 200m freestyle gold, it promised to be yet another expensive evening for billionaire benefactor Gina Rinehart, who’ll have to lavish more bumper medal bonuses on the squad after already forking out over $1 million.

The victory of Taylor from lane one was a huge surprise as the 22-year-old, son of star Hayley Lewis, was able to lurk while leading from the inside almost unnoticed, prevailing in 1:45.22.

He finished handily ahead of England’s Olympic star James Guy and Welsh former world champ Matt Richards, who shared the silver exactly half-a-second behind.

Australian riser Harry Turner, silver medallist in the 200m butterfly, was fourth in 1:45.93, but Sam Short’s hopes of four individual freestyle golds ended as he finished just a hundredth of a second behind.

Taylor’s triumph came 36 years since mum Hayley had her extraordinary breakthrough Commonwealth Games in Auckland in 1990 when she scooped five golds and a bronze at the age of just 15.