Freestyle gold for Canada in Glasgow
Canadian clips Aussie rival in final 25 metres
— Ryan Cochrane said before the Commonwealth Games it would be difficult to repeat his double-gold performance of four years ago.
The Canadian swimmer, 25, from Victoria, is already halfway there.
Cochrane powered past Australia’s David McKeon on the final lap Thursday to win the men’s 400-metre freestyle for Canada’s first gold medal on the first day of competition at the Games.
He broke his own Canadian record set at the 2008 Beijing Olympics, catching McKeon with just 25 metres to go.
“I could tell I was reeling him in, but you also don’t know where everyone is in the pool,” said Cochrane.
Cochrane won with a time of three minutes 43.46 seconds for the fastest time so far in 2014, but said it wasn’t his plan to allow McKeon — who ended 0.63 seconds back — to get so far ahead.
The Australian jumped out to a big lead that he still held with 100 metres to go before Cochrane put things into overdrive.
“I went out hard, and he went out a little harder,” said Cochrane. “What worked for me was that it was hard but it was smooth. In the past I’ve got excited and it hasn’t really helped me, where this time I worked on my strengths and I think that really carried me through the entire race.”
Canada also picked up a bronze medal Thursday with the Montreal’s Victoria Poon, Alyson Ackman and Sandrine Mainville and Toronto’s Michelle Williams finishing third in the women’s 4x100-metre freestyle.
Canada won a total of four medals after Kirsten Sweetland — who grew up with Cochrane in Victoria — opened the day with a silver in triathlon and the Canadian women won gold in the rhythmic gymnastics team event. Canada stood fourth in the medal standings while England took the early lead with 17 total medals, including six gold.
A two-time Olympic medallist, Cochrane won gold in both the 400- and 1,500-metre freestyle at the 2010CommonwealthGames in New Delhi and is off to a great start in Scotland.
Poon said the Canadian swimmers were inspired by Cochrane’s performance.
Cochrane competes in the 200-metre freestyle Friday and defends his 1,500-metre title on Tuesday.