Delhi2010 – Evans Misses Out as WA Bags First Gold

Published On: 5 October 2010

Evans still has three events to snag an elusive medal

WA has won its first gold medal of the Commonwealth Games with Tommaso D’Orsogna forming part of the successful Australian 4x100m freestyle relay team.

There was disappointment however, for WAIS athlete Blair Evans who missed a medal in the final of the women’s 200m freestyle – with fellow Australian Kylie Palmer taking gold.

Evans had earlier qualified second fastest for the final, but was unable to hold off the challenge of Palmer, Welsh swimmer Jazmin Carlin and dual Olympic champion Rebecca Adlington of England.

At the first turn, Evans was third and well placed but tired towards the 150m mark as the front runners made their move. Evans was narrowly pipped to the wall and finished sixth, with only sixth hundredths of a second separating second place from Evans – who clocked a time of 01:58.83min.

Evans though, still has three events to focus on with swims in the 400m individual medley, 800m freestyle and 4x200m freestyle still on the agenda for the 2010 national champion.

Former WAIS scholarship holder Tommaso D’Orsogna formed part of Australia’s 4x100m freestyle team which claimed gold in New Delhi to give WA its first medal.

Racing with Kyle Richardson, fellow former WAIS scholarship holder Eamon Sullivan and James Magnusson – they didn’t have the swim all their own way. It required a crowd-raising effort from Olympic silver medallist Eamon Sullivan, who swam a scintillating 47.49 second leg, to seal victory in 3:13.92, from England (3:15.05)and Canada (3:15.21).

Both Evans and D’Orsogna will again be in action on Wednesday morning from 11:30am (Perth time).