Le Clos Sweeps To Butterfly Gold But History Bid On Ice

South Africa's Chad le Clos romped to Commonwealth Games gold in the men's 50m butterfly on Friday, but his hopes of rewriting the history books were scuttled by Aussie grit and an overloaded schedule.

Gold Coast, Australia, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 6th Apr, 2018 ) :South Africa's Chad le Clos romped to Commonwealth Games gold in the men's 50m butterfly on Friday, but his hopes of rewriting the history books were scuttled by Aussie grit and an overloaded schedule.

Hosts Australia flexed their muscles on the Gold Coast with five more swimming gold medals, including a clean sweep in the women's 100m butterfly. Meanwhile, England's Olympic champion Adam Peaty limbered up for the defence of his Commonwealth 100m breaststroke crown with a Games record of 58.59 seconds in the semi-finals, despite rain falling at the outdoor venue.

Four-time butterfly world champion le Clos took full advantage of title-holder Ben Proud's absence to win in 23.37 seconds. It puts swimming's pin-up boy five medals behind shooters Mick Gault and Philip Adams, who lead the all-time Commonwealth Games tally with 18.

Le Clos finished behind world champion Proud in Thursday's heats but the Englishman was disqualified for a false start, gifting the South African an opportunity he gleefully seized. Dylan Carter took silver for Trinidad and Tobago, three-tenths back, with fellow South African Ryan Coetzee claiming bronze in 23.73.

"If Ben Proud had been in the final he would have won for sure," said le Clos after his first major 50m long course title. "I don't make excuses," he added about his failure to overtake Gault and Adams.

"I'm only 25 years old, it's my third Games -- I'll get the record, so there's no problem." His tilt at history ended in the 200m freestyle and the 4x100m free. There was no repeat of his surprise Rio Olympic silver in the 200m freestyle for le Clos, who faded badly as Australian Kyle Chalmers romped to victory.