Commonwealth Games, Day Two Finals: Sam Short In Stunning Victory As Aussies Sweep the 400m Freestyle In Glasgow
Sam Short shined with a stunning gold-medal performance to lead an Aussie sweep in the 400m freestyle, in a sizzling 3:41.25 on the second night of swimming action in Glasgow.
The 23-year-old led almost the whole way, his loping stroke taking control off the first turn from England’s James Guy after two laps, as he ploughed through eight laps of the Tollcross International Aquatic Centre.
Short’s splits: 25.58; 53.07, 1:20.56,1:48.73, 2:16.69, 2:45.10, 3:13.59, 3:41.25.
Short took control on the second lap and powered away in a solo swim to record Australia’s 17th victory in the event from defending champion Elijah Winnington (3:45.56) with his St Peters Western training partner and Games rookie Ben Goedemans taking bronze – a fingernail behind in 3:45.57.
The boy from Rackley’s in Queensland revealed after the race he had quite a frantic countdown before arriving at the pool, saying he didn’t realise after heats this morning that his race was going to be first up tonight.
“I had to really handle that…and there was a footie game on here locally so that made traffic a nightmare..so I had to roll with the punches today so really happy to get that good swim out.”
And on his solo effort out in front, Shoirt said: “I am getting used to it and holding my composure…it’s hard…but I prefer to have it that way for a championship…”
A result that reversed the 2022 Games podium order when Winnington won gold from Short and 2016 Olympic champion Mack Horton, and this was the fourth sweep for Australia since 1970 in Edinburgh.
With Winnington telling Olympian and Channel 7 Australia’s Mixed Zone interviewer, Giaan Rooney that he actually climbed out of a sick bed to take his place in the final.
“I’m quite emotional actually…(Coach) Dean Boxasll just told me to fight…and fight really hard towards the end..I have been pretty unwell the last 24 hours..I just wanted to give it everything…it’s not the fastest time but Dean said going into tonight…this has nothing to do with times…it’s all about adversity…showing how hard you can fight and that’s what I wanted to do tonight.
Rookie bronze medallist Goedemans saying: “To race with these boys and go 1-2-3 it’s amazing and a dream come true.”
It was Australia’s seventh gold and the 12th medal of the Games and the fourth time Australia has swept the event since 1970.
There was a lot of talk before the race about Short (with a personal best of 3:40.08) chasing Ian Thorpe’s Commonwealth Games record of 3:40.08 and Lukas Martens‘ world record of 3:39.96. But Short said after his heat win that the Commonwealth Games was a championship meet and it wasn’t about the time but about getting your hand on the wall first.
And he maintained his place as the number one 400m swimmer in the world.
Short joins a “who’s who” of Australians to have won the event. the 17th Australian since the great Manly swimmer Noel “Tiger” Ryan won back-to-back gold in Vancouver and Sydney in 1934 and 1938 respectively.
An illustrious list includes Olympic champions John Konrads, Murray Rose, Bob Windle, Duncan Armstrong, Kieren Perkins, Mack Horton and Thorpe.
Breaking the world record would see Short become the seventh Australian to break the mark, joining John Marshall, Konrads, Rose, Brad Cooper, Perkins and Thorpe.
