Australian 4x100m relay team sinks WR

Australia smashed World records in swimming and cycling on day one of the Games as it rebounded quickly from hurdler Sally Pearson’s pull-out.

Australia’s three gold medals at the Anna Meares Velodrome included a world record in the men’s 4,000m team pursuit as it stamped its authority on the cycling competition.

It was only a slightly less fruitful night for the Aussies in the pool, where it won two golds including a new World mark in the 4x100m women’s freestyle relay.

Olympic champion Mack Horton won the men’s 400m freestyle although Canada’s Taylor Ruck pipped two Aussies — 17-year-old Ariarne Titmus, and Emma McKeon — in the women’s 200m free.

Flora Duffy won the competition’s opening gold medal in the women’s triathlon, becoming Bermuda’s first female medallist at the Games.

Brownlees lag behind

In the men’s race, Olympic gold and silver medallists Alistair and Jonny Brownlee of England trailed home 10th and seventh as the 2016 bronze-winner Henri Schoeman accelerated away for gold. Muhammad Azroy Hazalwa won the first of two gold medals for Malaysia in weightlifting, a result he celebrated by dancing and doing a lap of honour of the lifting area.

Wales had a day to remember when Anna Hursey, the Games’ youngest competitor at just 11, won a doubles table tennis match in the women’s team event against India, together with partner Charlotte Carey.

England won the men’s team gymnastics and two swimming gold medals through Aimee Willmott and James Wilby, who upset Scottish favourites Hannah Miley and Ross Murdoch.

But there was also controversy in the pool when defending champion Ben Proud of England was disqualified from the men’s 50m butterfly heats for a false start.