Gold Coast 2018: Relay provides silver lining as James Guy wins second swimming medal at Commonwealth Games
University of Bath-based swimmer James Guy claimed his second medal of the Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games as he helped Team England to silver in the men’s 4x100m freestyle relay on Friday.
The British Swimming National Centre Bath swimmer anchored the quartet – which also featured David Cumberlidge, Ben Proud and Jarvis Parkinson – to second place behind hosts Australia.
It was Guy’s second final of the night, having narrowly missed out on a medal in the 200m freestyle, and the silver added to the bronze he won in the 400m freestyle on Thursday.
Here is a round-up of the swimming and netball action featuring University of Bath-based athletes on day two of the Games – click here to see a full schedule and results.
Swimming
James Guy put the frustration of a fourth-placed finish in the men’s 200m freestyle final behind him to anchor Team England to 4x100m freestyle relay silver in the last race of the evening.
Australia were clear victors but a strong final leg from Guy, coached by Jol Finck at the Sports Training Village, ensured that England held off Scotland to take second spot in 3:15.25.
Guy had earlier had his hopes of winning seven medals at the Games dashed as he was edged off the podium in a thrilling 200m freestyle final.
The British Swimming National Centre Bath swimmer held a narrow lead at the final turn but could not hold off fast-finishing home favourites Kyle Chalmers and Mack Horton in the last 50m.
Scotland’s Duncan Scott also came through to touch the wall in third, just one-tenth of a second ahead of Guy who clocked 1:46.40. Training colleague Calum Jarvis, a University of Bath Sports Performance graduate, was just behind Guy as he placed fifth in 1:46.53.
Cameron Kurle had missed out on a place in the final, finishing sixth in the heat won by Guy in 1:48.96, but returned to the pool to help England qualify through the 4x100m freestyle relay heats.
Sport & Exercise Science student Anna Hopkin, fresh from helping England win women’s 4x100m freestyle relay bronze on Thursday, continued her fantastic form to book her place in Saturday’s 50m freestyle final.
The MJ Church Ambassador, supported by a Thompson Education Trust sporting scholarship and coached by Mark Skimming, clocked 25.29 and 25.33 respectively as she finished third in both her heat and semi-final. The final is at 10.43am BST.
Chemical Engineering graduate Andrew Willis, coached by Dave McNulty at the British Swimming National Centre Bath, is through to his second individual final of the week after qualifying eighth fastest from the 100m breaststroke semi-finals in 1:01.29.
Biology student Guy Davies, representing the Isle of Man, progressed through the heats before finishing seventh in his semi-final in 1:04.91 to place 14th overall.
Jess Fullalove was sixth in her 100m backstroke semi-final in 1:01.39, putting her 11th overall.
Netball
Team Bath Netball captain Eboni Beckford-Chambers made her first start of the competition as England recorded their second emphatic Pool B victory in as many days, a 74-49 victory over Malawi.
Kadeen Corbin played at goal attack for the second period and converted six of her seven shots for the Roses, who are back in action against Uganda on Sunday (6.02am BST).
A Wales team spearheaded by Team Bath shooter Chelsea Lewis may have lost 70-44 to netball powerhouses New Zealand but they did have the massive confidence boost of winning their first-ever quarter against the Silver Ferns.
That came in the second period as they cut a 23-14 deficit to 32-27 at half-time before New Zealand reestablished their superiority.
Lewis converted 21 of her 31 shots and Pharmacy graduate Amanda Varey also came on at wing-attack for Wales, who next face Scotland on Saturday (9.32am BST).
Zanele Vimbela was an unused replacement as South Africa were beaten 57-46 by 2014 bronze-medallists Jamaica in their opening Pool A match. They will look for an instant response against Northern Ireland on Saturday (6.02am BST).
