Commonwealth Games, Day 6 Finals: Meg Harris Blasts Her Way to 50m Freestyle Gold; Bronze Farewell for Shayna Jack
Olympic silver medalist to World champion and now Commonwealth Games gold in the 50m freestyle in Glasgow for Meg Harris. In what was an emotional sweep for Australia at the Tollcross International Swimming Centre tonight, Harris blasted her way to the title in 24.23.
The 24-year-old was never headed, leading another Dolphins sweep ahead of Alex Perkins with silver in a personal best time of 24.53 and a fitting bronze for Shayna Jack, in 24.57. For Jack, the swim marked her emotional farewell to the pool, retiring from swimming after a stellar career that started with relay gold at the 2018 Games on the Gold Coast.
The three Australians became only the third set of Aussies to take the 50m freestyle sweep, joining Libby Trickett, Jodie Henry and Alice Mills from 2006 in Melbourne and Emma McKeon, Harris and Jack from four years ago in Birmingham.
And Harris becomes only the second swimmer, joining Trickett in 2006, to win the 50/100m freestyle double, taking her Glasgow medal tally to five gold after winning the 100m Freestyle and the 4x100m freestyle and mixed freestyle and medley relay golds – and a possible sixth gold with the 4x100m medley relay to come. Harris won Australia’s 30th gold of what has been an extraordinary record breaking week in the pool.
And there were tears all round on the podium as all three girls stood arm in arm, trying to sing the Australian National anthem. Jack wiped away the tears as her family, wrapped in an Australian flag, celebrated Shayna’s remarkable career from the grandstand.
A fitting farewell for Jack who swam her final lap and walked the last lap of honor around pool deck, hugging her teammates and support staff, leaving one final special hug for coach Dean Boxall who has been through thick and thin with the much loved Aussie golden girl who went on to accomplish Olympic and world championship gold and world records, fighting back from a positive doping experience in 2019 that threatened her career.
Jack shared the podium with former training partners Cate and Bronte Campbell and with Emma McKeon to win her first gold in the 4x100m freestyle relay in 2018 – and fighting her way into the Australian Olympic team – striking gold again in a relay team that has achieved world domination.
And what a week for Perkins – winning four gold in the 50 and 100m butterfly and playing crucial parts in Australia’s gold medal winning 4x100m women’s and mixed freestyle gold. Like Harris, she will be chasing a fifth gold in the women’s medley relay.
