SWIM: Huegill takes 50m butterfly gold
By Janelle Miles and Laine Clark
MANCHESTER, Aug 1 AAP - World champion Geoff Huegill spread his wings to embrace theCommonwealth 50m butterfly title at the Manchester Commonwealth Games tonight.
Huegill clocked 23.57s to take the title the first time the event has been swum ata Commonwealth Games.
The time was 0.13s outside his world record set during a semi-final at the world championshipsin Fukuoka, Japan, 12 months ago.
But it was enough to beat South African Roland Shoeman (23.66) and England's Mark Foster(24.11) for the gold tonight.
Huegill said he didn't feel in control of the race until the final 10m.
"I had to fight for it the whole way but that's what I expected," the Queenslander said.
"It wasn't going to be a walk in the park. It's one of those races that's over so quicklyyou really have to compose yourself out there."
Training partner Leisel Jones won her first individual gold medal at a big meet, claimingthe 200m breaststroke title in 2:25.93.
The 16-year-old, who has Olympic and world championship silvers in the 100m breaststroke,beat South African Sarah Poewe (2:27.47) and fellow Queenslander Kelli Waite (2:28.58)for the title.
But Jones seemed dissatisfied after the win.
"I get out of the silver medal bracket but I don't know, it's not the same," she said.
"I don't want to be negative or anything but two of my main rivals aren't here whichis a shame, but once I get to the Pan Pacs I can have a go at them there."
Jones and the rest of the Australian team will compete at the Pan Pacific Championshipsin Yokohama, Japan, at the end of this month.
She's expected to fight out the 100m gold with American Olympic champion Megan Quannand China's world champion Luo Xuejuan.
In a gold medal rush for Australia on the third night of competition in the Manchesterpool, Sydney-based swimmer Ben Austin won the 50m freestyle gold for elite athletes witha disability after earlier setting a world record in the heats.
And Brisbane swimmer Jodie Henry took out the women's 100m freestyle.
AAP jhm/nh
KEYWORD: GAMES SWIM HUEGILL
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