Thorpedo speeds towards target

Welsh, Olympic bronze medallist in the event and the man who could well stem Thorpe’s gold rush in the 100 metres backstroke, was disqualified for moving at the start of the race, having posted the fastest overall heat time of two minutes 01.20 seconds.

“I didn’t move at all. The video shows I didn’t start. There should be a sane decision, we should be fine,” Welsh said. “We’ve lodged a protest. If they don’t reinstate him they’re going to have a major problem,” Australian team media officer David Mason said.

Thorpe, who easily won the 200 metres freestyle on Wednesday night on what he called an off-day, was the only man to swim under 50 seconds in the 100 freestyle, clocking 49.76 to win the last heat and lead qualifiers into the evening’s semi-finals. The 100 freestyle final is on Friday.

The 19-year-old Australian, who finished fourth in the 100 at the 2001 world championships in Japan, eased through the first length and then pulled away from his nearest challenger, Ryk Neethling of South Africa, on the return.

“That was a pretty big heat for me. I didn’t think it would be that fast this morning. I’m glad to go through to the semi,” Thorpe said.

England’s Matthew Kidd was the second-fastest qualifier, winning his heat in 50.00, with two more Australians — Todd Pearson (50.07) and Ashley Callus (50.16) — next-quickest on aggregate. Thorpe won his first two golds on Tuesday in the 400 metres freestyle, in which he broke his own world record, and the 4X100 metres freestyle relay.

Petria Thomas, gold medallist in Wednesday’s 50 metres butterfly, put herself well in line to become the first woman swimmer to win the same event at three consecutive Commonwealth Games by setting far and away the fastest heat time in the 100 butterfly. Thomas, who is contesting eight events and was joint bronze medallist in the 200 freestyle on Tuesday, clocked a Games record 58.45 to lead the way into the evening’s semi-finals more than two seconds ahead of fellow Australian Rachel Coffee (1:00.61). (Reuters)