(MENAFN- Arab Times) ASGOW July 24 (AFP): Australia's Rowan Crothers broke his own world record to claim Commonwealth Games gold in the para-sport 100m freestyle in a time of 54:58secs on Thursday. Crothers had gone close to his previous best of 54.95 in the morning heats and streaked well clear of the field to win the first para-sport swimming gold of the Games. 'It means the world to me' said Crothers. 'I tried to make sure I controlled the first 25 metres and then I could go harder. I have probably worked harder in this race than any other race in my whole life but it was worth it.' Fellow Australians Matthew Cowdrey and Brenden Hall joined Crothers on the podium taking silver and bronze respectively. 'It is not just me' added Crothers. 'We got gold silver and bronze so everyone is going to be really happy.' Hannah Miley claimed Scotland's first swimming gold medal of the Commonwealth Games as she retained her 400m individual medley title in a new Games record time of 4min 31:76sec. The 24-year-old edged out England's Aimee Wilmott with Australia's Keryn McMaster in third. Roared on by a vociferous home crowd Miley looked in trouble at the halfway mark as Wilmott streaked ahead but Miley's better freestyle told in the final 100 metres. 'It was always going to be a great race between myself and Aimee' said Miley. 'Her first half is so much stronger than mine so I knew it was going to be such a close race.' And Miley paid tribute to the home crowd that pulled her towards the finish line. 'It's pretty cool actually' she added. 'It's quite hard to stay in your bubble and concentrate but I used it in the heats and everyone is just rising off it.' Ryan Cochrane also claimed Canada's first gold of the Games as he produced a remarkable comeback in the final 100 metres to win the men's 400m freestyle final ahead of Australia's David McKeon in a time of 3min 43:46sec. McKeon seemed set for gold as he set off inside world record pace but he was hauled in by Cochrane as he registered Canada's first gold of the games with England's James Guy taking the bronze. However it was a happier evening for McKeon's sister Emma as she produced a dominant display to take the women's 200m freestyle gold in a Commonwealth Games record time of 1min 55:57sec. Siobhan O'Connor took silver for England with Bronte Barratt winning the bronze medal for Australia. There was more Aussie gold in the first para-swimming final of the Games as Rowan Crothers broke his own world record in the 100m freestyle S9 in a time of 54:58secs ahead of compatriots Matthew Cowdrey and Brenden Hall in second and third respectively. Australia's Emma McKeon claimed Commonwealth Games gold in the women's 200m freestyle final in a Games record time of 1min 55:57sec. Siobhan O'Connor took silver for England with Bronte Barratt winning the bronze medal for Australia.
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