Gold Coast 2018: Triathlon silver and a bronze brace in pool for University-based trio at Commonwealth Games
Triathlete Vicky Holland and swimmers Chloe Tutton and Siobhan-Marie O’Connor took the medal tally for University of Bath-based sportspeople at the Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games to seven after another busy day of competition in Australia.
Holland, coached by Rhys Davey in the multi-sport facilities at the Sports Training Village, helped England secure mixed team relay silver.
Tutton then won Wales’ first medal in the pool at these Games, bronze in the 200m breaststroke, before fellow British Swimming National Centre Bath swimmer O’Connor helped England to 4x200m freestyle relay bronze – her second medal of the Games so far.
Here is a round-up of all the action featuring University of Bath-based sportspeople on Saturday – click here for full schedules and results.
Triathlon
Vicky Holland was ran out of the medals in her individual final on Thursday but responded with a strong performance today to help England win silver in the mixed team relay.
The Olympic bronze-medallist led the team off and performed well to open up a five-second lead at the end of her leg – a 0.25km swim, 7km bike ride and 1.5km run – before handing over to Jonny Brownlee.
There was nothing between him and Australia’s Matthew Hauser at the end of the second leg but Ashleigh Gentle took advantage of a stumble by Jessica Learmonth to put the host nation in the driving seat.
Australia held a 40-second lead going into the final leg, an advantage Olympic champion Alistair Brownlee wasn’t able to overturn, but England finished a minute clear of third-placed New Zealand as they crossed the line in a combined time of 1:18.28.
It is Holland’s third Commonwealth Games medal of her career, adding to the team gold and individual bronze she won at Glasgow 2014.
Swimming
Chloe Tutton won Wales’ first medal in the pool as she took bronze in the 200m breaststroke final, only missing out on silver with the last stroke.
Tutton, who moved her training base to the British Swimming National Centre Bath earlier this year, cranked it up in the second 50m to lead at halfway. South Africa’s Tatjana Schoenmaker responded to edge ahead at the final turn before pulling away to take gold but Tutton kept digging deep and looked set to hold on for silver, only to be denied by England’s Molly Renshaw at the death.
It was a gutsy performance by Tutton, coached by Dave McNulty, who will have another shot at a medal in the 100m breaststroke tomorrow.
Tutton returned to the pool soon after receiving her 200m breaststroke medal to compete in the 4x200m freestyle relay and was joined by Bath training partner Jazz Carlin in a Welsh quartet that finished fifth.
Australia and Canada were clear of the field in first and second, with the bronze medal going to an England quartet featuring Siobhan-Marie O’Connor – the Bath swimmer producing the second-fastest split time of anyone in the field as she claimed her second relay bronze of the week.
Sport & Exercise Science student Anna Hopkin, supported by a Thompson Education Trust scholarship and MJ Church, continued her impressive week by clocking 25.28 for seventh place in a world-class 50m freestyle final won in a Games-record time by Australia’s Cate Campbell.
Chemical Engineering graduate Andrew Willis had to settle for eighth place in the 100m breaststroke final in 1:01.13. Gold and silver went to England team-mates Adam Peaty and James Wilby respectively.
James Guy, racing in his fourth event in three days, qualified eighth-fastest for the 200m butterfly final before deciding to withdraw.
Sports Performance graduate Calum Jarvis reached the semi-finals of the 100m freestyle, placing sixth in 49.77. Integrated Mechanical & Electrical Engineering student Miles Munro, representing Guernsey, was seventh in his heat in 50.80.
Netball
Team Bath Netball defender Zanele Vimbela helped South Africa record their first win in Pool A, playing at goal defence throughout a 49-35 victory over Northern Ireland.
There was disappointment for Chelsea Lewis, though, as Wales were edged out 51-47 by Scotland in Pool B. The Team Bath shooter converted 39 of her 48 attempts, with Pharmacy graduate Amanda Varey providing ten assists from wing attack, but a 15-9 scoreline in the third quarter for Scotland proved decisive.
