Swim star McKeon wins 12th Commonwealth gold

Australian swim star Emma McKeon won a record-extending 12th career gold medal at the Commonwealth Games on Monday as 15-year-old Canadian Summer McIntosh made it double gold in Birmingham.

McKeon, who powered home in the 50m butterfly, has now won four golds in Birmingham and has more than any other athlete in Commonwealth Games history.

The 28-year-old, who won seven medals at last year's Tokyo Olympics -- including four golds -- touched in 25.90sec to see off the challenge of South Africa's Erin Gallagher and Australia's Holly Barratt.

She has also won the 50m freestyle in Birmingham plus two relay golds.

Rising Canadian star McIntosh won her second gold of the Games, adding the women's 200m individual medley title to her 400m IM crown.

McIntosh won two gold medals at the world championships in Budapest in June, in the 400m medley and the 200m butterfly.

She held off the challenge of Australia's three-time Olympic gold medallist Kaylee McKeown to win in a time of 2:08.70.

McIntosh said she did not feel much pressure on her shoulders to continue her astonishing rise.

"The only pressure I focus on is the pressure I put on myself and that's all I care about," she said.

The young Canadian said she relished performing in front of big crowds.

"I think they add so much more of a big dynamic and I get a lot of energy off that and it gets me hyped for my races," she added.

48-hour 'hell' 

Australia's Kyle Chalmers won the men's 100m freestyle final in 47.51sec after a 48-hour period that he described as "hell" as a result of intense speculation in the media over his relationships with team members.

Reports suggested a rift with McKeon and Cody Simpson, who is reportedly dating McKeon, Chalmers's ex-girlfriend.
Chalmers put a finger to his lips after sealing victory in a gesture apparently aimed at silencing his critics.

The 2016 Olympic champion said the hardest part about the past 48 hours had been "knowing I haven't done anything wrong".
"The lies and false truths getting put out there," he said. "It's nowhere near the truth at all.

"We are great friends and have great support. I am just grateful to be a part of the team and sharing that with every single team member."

Australia's McKeown destroyed the field to win the women's 200m backstroke, finishing 2.21sec clear of Canada's Kylie Masse in a time of 2:05.60,
New Zealand's Andrew Jeffcoat won the men's 50m backstroke in 24.65.

Australia rounded off the night in style by winning the men's 4x200m freestyle relay, coming home in a time of 7:04.96, ahead of England and Scotland.

World record-holder Adam Peaty qualified second-fastest for the 50m breaststroke final behind Australia's Sam Williamson as he bids to put his "devastating" defeat in the 100m behind him.

Agence-France Presse