Gold mine Horton swims perfect race
anywhere, like Andrew Lloyd bursting through the pack to win an incredible gold in the 5000m in Auckland, 1990.
Games need signature moments.
Some Games lack them. Can you remember your favourite Australian Commonwealth Games moment from Delhi 2010? No? Neither can I.
As exceptional as the Gold Coast opening ceremony was, some felt the one thing it lacked was the singular dam- busting moment that would enchant the nation ( sorry, a naked bottom comes close but we can’t pay it).
After the Pearson news broke, conspiracy theories abounded about the timing of the withdrawal – but there was no sinister plot at play.
It was a class big story time but ( 3 min a simple 43.76 sec) to quinella one. Her temperamental the race with Brisbane Achilles silver medallist MIGHTY Mack turned cold- blooded was screaming Jack McLoughlin “nooooooo” so ( 3: 45.21). racer supreme to deliver the first loudly gold on the The track brilliance on Tuesday of the Horton race of Australia’s medal rush just a month that she could was his not calm even confidence do a that he could after he feared Queensland’s half- heat paced catch run- through. English big gun James Guy, a would boil away his superpowers She in kept former it secret world so not champion to at 200m who the pool. take of the led gloss through off the the opening first 300m but didn’t
He may be swimming’s Migaloo ceremony. have End of the story. Aussie’s distance backon the suntan scale yet Melbourne With Pearson ground. gone, the champion Mack Horton is building challenge a for The the rest electricity of in the evening air whale of a reputation for delivering Australia’s was athletes palpable in all sports and Horton, is 21, harwhen his country is aching for gold. to provide nessed the enchanting it for a perfect encore to his he
The laid- back swimmer grabbed moment of roics these at Games. the 2016 Rio Olympics where last night’s 400m freestyle at It the could he come also from stepped anywhere. up with Australia’s Commonwealth Games in a worldIt may not opening come at gold all. medal.
— Robert Craddock
“I know that’s what he ( Guy) does and I knew he’d be hurting more than me at the back end,” a delighted Horton said poolside to Channel Seven.
“I knew what I had to do and it’s unreal to go one- two with Jack.”
No one was happier than Horton under cooler, murky Melbourne- like skies on the Gold Coast where the roars from the cliff- like grandstands would have lifted the roof off the outdoor venue if there’d been one.
He felt like he was swimming in a spa in the 1500m final at the trials where he swam 25 seconds outside predictions and struggled as a sapped force from mid- race on a humid night.
“I was kind of in denial. That warmer water did have an effect so the plan here was always to get to camp in Queensland a week- and- ahalf before the Games to immerse in the heat,” Horton said.
Australia’s Ariarne Titmus and Emma McKeon scored silver and bronze respectively as Taylor Ruck of Canada won the women’s 200m freestyle final, and Australia’s Blair Evans placed third in the women’s 400m individual medley behind winner Aimee Willmott of England and Scotland’s Hannah Miley.