Wales just grabbed their fourth Commonwealth Games medal in the pool, securing another bronze in the 4x200m freestyle relay! Seriously, after three days in Glasgow, these swimmers are absolutely carrying the team, and watching them fight for it was wild.
The Fight for Bronze and a ‘Special Group’
The 4x200m freestyle relay was an absolute battle, and our guys , Matt Richards, Dan Jones, Kieran Bird, and Tyler Melbourne-Smith , dug deep to beat Scotland onto the podium. Australia took home the gold, setting a new Commonwealth Games record with an insane 7 minutes, 1.47 seconds. England secured silver, finishing a touch under five seconds faster than Wales, but who cares? Our boys got bronze, and that’s what matters! This relay medal isn’t even the first, mind you. Richards and Jones were also part of the bronze-winning 4x100m mixed freestyle relay crew earlier. Add those to the silver and bronze medals won by Para-swimmers Ela Letton-Jones and Rhys Darbey, and you see the picture: all four of Wales’ medals have come from the swimming pool so far. Olympic gymnast Ruby Evans, unfortunately, didn’t make the podium in her final, so these swimmers are really stepping up.
Matt Richards summed it up perfectly, calling them “such a special group.” He said, “We’ve talked a lot about how tight-knit we are and a lot of us have come through the ranks since we were very young and grown as a team. To be able to do it together has been incredible. Seeing that Welsh flag go up when we’re up on the podium is one of the highlights of my career so far.” You gotta love that passion!
Melbourne-Smith’s Epic Finish and What’s Next
Talk about a clutch performance! Tyler Melbourne-Smith, who got disqualified in the 4x100m relay on day one, was the anchor on this 4x200m team. He brought Wales home on the final leg, fending off Scotland’s home favourite, Duncan Scott. Imagine that pressure! Melbourne-Smith said his “adrenaline was rushing but it was just about keeping it for the last 50 metres. Holding my nerve, and that’s what I did. These boys did all the hard work. For me, it was just about getting the job done.” He called it “probably the best moment of my swimming career so far. It is unbelievable and I’m happy to do it with these boys.” That’s redemption right there!
Lewis Fraser also deserves a shout-out. He was part of the 4x200m freestyle relay heats and had been in the mixed freestyle relay quartet heats. Fraser finished seventh in his 100m butterfly final later, but his dedication to the team shines through. “When they asked me to step up for the team I didn’t even hesitate,” Fraser said. “I know that’s an individual event for me, but I always swim with the team on my back.” That’s the kind of team-first attitude we live for!
Theodora Taylor, a 17-year-old phenom, is keeping the momentum going, qualifying with the fourth fastest time for the women’s 100m freestyle final on Monday night. She already has a relay bronze from Saturday, so you know she’s ready to go for it. Sophie Davies gave it her all with a season’s best but didn’t qualify, and Kyle Booth bowed out in the men’s 50m breaststroke semi-final. Meghan Willis finished sixth in the women’s S9 100m backstroke final.
So, Monday night, all eyes are on Theodora Taylor in that 100m freestyle final. Can she bring home another medal? Can Wales finally snag that elusive gold? After three days of competition, they’re still waiting for it, but this swimming squad is absolutely battling. Let’s see what happens!
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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