Commonwealth Games: Teenager Sophie Taylor grabs 100 metres breaststroke gold
Last Updated: 28/07/14 10:14pm
Sophie Taylor secured England's ninth gold medal in the pool after coming away with victory in the women's 100 metres breaststroke at the Commonwealth Games.
The 18-year-old from Harrogate in Yorkshire broke her own British record as she came home in 1:06.35, virtually a full second ahead of Australian Lorna Tonks. Jamaica's Alia Atkinson took bronze.
"After, in my eyes, a disappointing week, I just went for it and hoped that I could get a medal, even if it was a bronze or silver, I just wanted a medal," said the City of Leeds swimmer Taylor.
"So I saw the end of sight and I said to myself that I would give it my all and I found a sudden burst of energy.
I knew that I had to make a comeback and to get my mind refocused and positive again and so to come off with a gold and a British record means a lot to me.
Sophie Taylor
"It meant everything after just missing out on a medal in the 50 and not even making the final in the 200, I knew that I had to make a comeback and to get my mind refocused and positive again and so to come off with a gold and a British record means a lot to me."
Taylor's team-mate, Aimee Wilmott, sealed her second medal of the tournament, claiming a silver in the 200m butterfly behind Canadian Audrey Lacroix while Maddie Groves from Australia grabbed bronze.
In the men's 50m breaststroke final South African world record holder Cameron van der Burgh pipped 100m gold medallist Adam Peaty of England.
Van der Burgh came home in 26.76, two-hundredths of a second ahead of 19-year-old Peaty, while Scot Mark Tully was one-hundredth of a second behind Australian bronze medallist Christian Sprenger.
England's Adam Barrett won his second bronze of Glasgow 2014. Barrett, who was fourth in the 50m final but won a relay medal, could not keep up with 200m champion Chad le Clos, who set a new Games record of 51.29. Barrett came in behind Joseph Schooling of Singapore.
First gold
Also, Jazz Carlin swept to Wales' first swimming gold medal as she broke her own Commonwealth Games record in the 800 metres freestyle at the Tollcross International Swimming Centre in Glasgow.
It's amazing. It has not sunk in it. Hearing the Welsh national anthem was amazing. I was trying to sing it but I just got too emotional.
Jazz Carlin on her win
Carlin, who won a silver and bronze in Delhi four years ago, came home more than two seconds ahead of world bronze medallist Lauren Boyle from Australia in eight minutes 18.11 seconds. Canada's Brittany MacLean took bronze.
The 23-year-old shaved over four seconds off the previous record she set in qualifying fastest for the final on Sunday.
"It's amazing. It has not sunk in it. Hearing the Welsh national anthem was amazing. I was trying to sing it but I just got too emotional," said Carlin.
"I always knew I had a strong back end so I just needed to make sure I played to my strengths and timed it right.
"I would liked to have gone a bit quicker but it was about the race tonight when you are up against some of the best girls in the world."
And Carlin is far from finished in Glasgow as she will look to add 400m gold on Tuesday.
England's Fran Halsall earlier just missed out on her 11th Commonwealth medal as she failed to break the Australian dominance of the women's 100m freestyle.
Cate Campbell took gold ahead of sister Bronte, with Emma McKeon completing a clean sweep and Halsall 0.39 seconds adrift of the medals in fourth.