Lenton leads way as Aussies clean up

Libby Lenton and Leisel Jones collected their second gold medals as Australia dominated the third day of the Commonwealth Games yesterday.

Lenton won the women's 100 metres freestyle and led off the triumphant 4x200m relay team while Jones added the 200m breaststroke title to her 50m success and remained on course for a unique treble.

Olympic cycling champion Ryan Bayley also picked up his second gold by winning the men's sprint and the host nation added 11 golds to raise their total to 23.

England enjoyed their best day in Melbourne by winning five golds, including two each in the pool and the velodrome, to overtake India for second place in the table with eight golds.

India won another three golds to take their tally to seven with pistol shooter Samaresh Jung winning two events with different partners.

Scotland won two more, including another surprise victory in swimming, and South African sprinter Roland Schoeman captured his second gold in the pool with victory in the 50m fly.

Australia won at least one gold in each of the six different sports held yesterday but nowhere were they more dominant than at the Melbourne Aquatic Centre, which they have turned into their own golden pond.

They won all four women's finals, including a clean sweep in the freestyle sprint, and the men's disability race, which has been included on the medal's table for the first time.

Lenton consolidated her place as the world's fastest female swimmer by beating Jodie Henry.

Lenton regained the world record from Henry seven weeks ago at the Australian trials but had never won a major international title over 100m until yesterday.

Games record

Jones narrowly missed breaking her own world record in the 200m and needs only to win the 100m to complete the breaststroke treble. Sophie Edington set a Games record in winning the women's 100m back.

Australia's reliance on Ian Thorpe and Grant Hackett in the men's events was shown up yet again when England won the 4x200m relay for the first time and Christopher Cook led an English one-two in the final of the men's 100m breaststroke, pipping team-mate James Gibson by 0.12s. Gregor Tait won the 200m back, giving the Scots a record third swimming gold after Caitlin McClatchey and David Carry's victories.

Australia's domination of the cycling events also came to an abrupt halt when England beat the hosts in the team pursuit final and England's Victoria Pendleton defeated Australia's Anna Meares in the sprint final.