Lara van Niekerk carries record-breaking form into Games final

Though they did not get on the medals table on day one, Team South Africa managed to make an impact on Friday, with swimmer Lara van Niekerk making an explosive start by displaying record-breaking form at the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham.

The 19-year-old breaststroke specialist won her 50m heat in 29.82 seconds in the morning session, breaking the Commonwealth Games record over a single length of the pool.

And she went even quicker in the semifinals, held in the evening session, by touching the wall in 29.80.

She was just 0.08 outside her own African record (29.72) which she set at the national championships in Port Elizabeth in April.

Setting up a potential podium attack for the SA team, Van Niekerk will be joined in the sprint final by Olympic 200m champion Tatjana Schoenmaker, who was fifth fastest in the semifinals (30.94), and Kaylene Corbett, who qualified eighth quickest for the medal battle (31.43).

Meanwhile, Pieter Coetze was also in sublime form in the men’s 100m backstroke, coasting into the final as the gold medal favourite.

The 18-year-old prospect clocked 53.67 – the fastest time in the semifinals – finishing 0.33 quicker than England’s Brodie Williams, who was second quickest (54.00)

Another teenager, Matthew Sates, settled for seventh place in the men’s 400m freestyle final.

Sates completed the race in 3:50.07, with Elijah Winnington leading an Australian medal sweep by grabbing gold in 3:43.06.

There was no early luck for 17-time medallist Chad le Clos, who fell short in his first attempt to equal a lofty Games record, missing out on a place in the men’s 50m butterfly final after finishing 11th overall in the semifinals.

Triathlon contests

Earlier on the opening day of competition in Birmingham, triathletes Jamie Riddle and Simone Ackerman both put up a fight, producing solid performances.

Riddle made an impact from the start of the men’s race, exiting the water in second place, and he was still in the top three when he got off the bike.

He was unable to hold on, however, slipping to sixth place on the run leg as he crossed the line in 51:32, with Alex Yee securing victory for hosts England in 50:34.

ALSO READ: SA team must punch above their weight to shine at Commonwealth Games

In the women’s triathlon, Ackerman took eighth position in 57:19, as Flora Duffy of Bermuda won gold in 55:25.

Riddle and Ackerman are set to line up again in the mixed relay on Sunday, along with former Commonwealth Games champion Henri Schoeman, who withdrew from the individual race this week in order to focus on the team event.

Team events

The Blitzboks made no mistakes in their opening matches of the men’s rugby sevens tournament, coasting to victories over unfancied Malaysia (46-0) and Tonga (36-5).

They booked their place in the quarterfinals with a pool game to spare – a dead rubber fixture to be played against Scotland on Saturday.

In the women’s rugby sevens tournament, South Africa were left languishing at the bottom of Pool B following two crushing defeats against world-class teams.

They lost 38-0 to Women’s World Series champions Australia in their first match, before being handed a 41-0 defeat to Olympic bronze medallists Fiji.

ALSO READ: Why are we hanging on to the Commonwealth Games?

The SA women’s hockey team also struggled in their opening game against Scotland.

Lisa-Marie Deetlefs managed to score twice for the national side, but it was not enough as Scotland earned a 4-2 win in their Pool B clash.