From the depths of despair to the elation of atonement – what a difference a day has made for cyclist Matthew Glaetzer who has ridden the full wave of emotions on a night where Australia dominated at the Anna Meares Velodrome.
A firm favourite for the men’s sprint on Saturday, Glaetzer notched a Games record time during the heat, only to be eliminated by an opponent Glaetzer admitted to have underestimated. “It’s just hard, it’s a nightmare unfolding,” said Glaetzer. “I tried to get through with minimum effort.”
With just five riders having taken to the boards on Sunday in the men’s 1000m time trial it became apparent very quickly that only the utmost effort would be enough as New Zealand’s Ed Dawkins posted a blistering time of 59.928 – averaging over 60km/hr to lay down a strong marker of intent .
Eighteen riders took to the track; 18 riders failed to come close. But then came the last to try, Glaetzer. Less than a minute’s delight for a vociferous home crowd as he crossed in a time of 59.340, but pure relief for the South Australian.
“It was a big day today to bounce back after a shocking day yesterday,” said Glaetzer, “it’s really good to come back and prove to yourself, and get one up for Australia because I don’t think I performed yesterday.”
He was in good company on the boards on Sunday as the irrepressible Stephanie Morton claimed her third gold of the Games in the women’s keirin ahead of compatriot Kaarle McCullough, with Amy Cure also grabbing gold in an epic women’s 10km scratch race, after excellent support from team-mates Annette Edmondson and Ashlee Ankudinoff.
It was a golden evening once again in the pool, as in the space of mere minutes Australia notched two clean sweeps, with Cate Campbell and Mitch Larkin continuing their stunning meets.
In a blanket finish it was Larkin who touched out fellow Australians Ben Treffers and Zac Incerti in the men’s 50m backstroke to complete a personal 50m/100m double, with Campbell looking visibly more relaxed in every swim as she held off the fast-finishing Holly Barratt and Madeline Groves in the women’s 50m butterfly to earn a remarkable six medals for the host nation in the pool in as many minutes.
The men’s 4x200m freestyle relay smashed another Games record en route to gold, as they recorded a time of 7.05.97 ahead of England and Scotland. Such was the depth in the Australian squad the fastest split of the night went to 17-year-old local boy Elijah Winnington, who himself had only made the team by 0.01 during the morning’s swim-off.
In the men’s SM8 200m individual medley final, double amputee Jesse Aungles received one of the cheers of the night as he held off friend and countryman Blake Cochrane in a race that confirmed the popular enjoyment of both swimming and para-swimming events being merged at these Games.
“It was absolutely incredible,” said Aungles, “especially with the crowd behind you and my mate Blake beside me. I’m lost for words.”
A fifth gold on the night was claimed in another remarkable performance, as Lakeisha Patterson raced up a category in the S9 100m freestyle final to edge England’s Alice Tai and fellow Australian Ellie Cole.
Australia didn’t have it all their own way earlier on however as Kylie Masse led a Canadian one-two finish in the women’s 200m backstroke final ahead of world champion Emily Seebohm, with the 22-year-old and compatriot Taylor Ruck winning the gold and silver medals, respectively.
Masse, who also ousted Seebohm by a fingernail in the 100m event on Saturday, set a new Games record of 2.05.98 seconds to seal the gold with Ruck, aged 17, picking up her sixth medal of these Games.
In a blockbuster men’s 100m freestyle final there was another upset as Scotland’s aptly named Duncan Scott ran down his more fancied opponents over the second 50m to snatch gold.
The 20-year-old was sixth at the turn for home but chased down a tiring Chad le Clos and just held off the Olympic champion Kyle Chalmers to the wall to touch in 48.02, with his two more heralded opponents tied for second in 48.15.
Nearly 30 medals were claimed by the host nation over an eventful day that started with walkers Dale Bird-Smith and Jenny Montag winning their respective 20km events.
Bird-Smith produced a stunning burst in the final few hundred metres to claim Australia’s first athletics medal of the Games, with the Rio Olympics bronze medallist finishing just four seconds ahead of England’s Tom Bosworth.
There was drama in the women’s race after Australian Claire Tallent was disqualified about two kilometres from the finish and just after she had reeled in youngster Montag. “That’s not the way I wanted to win the gold medal with a close teammate being relegated to the sidelines, but you can’t let it affect your focus,” Montag said. “Claire will come back.”
Elsewhere, Australian Dane Sampson won gold in the men’s 10m air rifle final after setting a new Games record score of 245.0, Matty Denny grabbed silver in the men’s hammer, Erin Cleaver and Taylor Doyle claiming silver and bronze in the women’s T38 long jump, and Emily Whitehead and Georgia Godwin picked up bronzes in the women’s vault and uneven bars respectively.
Australia now move to a commanding position on the medal tally with 31 gold, 25 silver and 28 bronze with England second with 19 gold and Canada third with seven.
