Commonwealth Games, Day One Prelims: Erika Fairweather and Lani Pallister Set to Duel for 400 Freestyle Title
The first of this summer’s three major international competitions got underway this morning, as the Commonwealth Games kicked off six days of action with Friday morning preliminaries from the Tollcross International Swimming Centre in Glasgow. The meet will feature prelims, semifinals and finals in the 50-meter and 100-meter events, while all disciplines 200 meters and up will use a prelims-finals setup.
The Commonwealth Games are held every four years, the last edition taking place in 2022 in Birmingham, England. Australia is heavily favored to top the medals standing, while Great Britain is separated into the individual nations of England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Island. More, many of the athletes at the Commonwealth Games will see additional international racing later this summer, either at the European Championships in Paris or the Pan Pacific Championships in Irvine, California.
Here is a recap of the Day One prelims:
Women’s 400 Freestyle
New Zealand’s Erika Fairweather and Australian Lani Pallister are tw0 of the seven women in history to go under four minutes in the 400 freestyle, and they led qualifying in the event behind easy swims. Fairweather booked Lane Four for the final, going 4:06.42, while Pallister advanced as the No. 2 seed with a time of 4:06.88. While Fairweather owns a best of 3:59.44, Pallister has been as quick as 3:58.87.
Aussies Jenna Forrester (4:07.34) and Amelia Weber (4:08.12) were third and fourth, with New Zealand’s Caitlin Deans clocking 4:10.16 for fifth. Ella Jansen was the top Canadian, qualifying sixth in 4:10.55.
Men’s 200 Individual Medley
A tightly bunched field will battle for the crown in the men’s 200 medley, including defending champion Duncan Scott of Scotland. Scott cruised to a mark of 1:58.81 for the fifth seed in the final, which will be headed by Australian Will Petric (1:58.70). Just .11 separated the top five competitors, with the second-fastest times shared by the English pair of Tom Dean and Max Litchfield at 1:58.75. In fourth was New Zealand’s Lewis Clareburt with a swim of 1:58.79.
