Schipper wins butterfly gold for Australia

MELBOURNE, Mar 19 (Reuters) Australia took their eighth gold medal in women's swimming at the Commonwealth Games when world champion Jessicah Schipper won the 100 metres butterfly final today.

The Queensland teenager led all the way to set a new Games record of 57.48 seconds, holding off her team mate Libby Lenton, who touched the wall in 57.80 to collect her second silver of the Games after winning two golds the previous night.

Australia were looking at another cleansweep of the medals when Alice Mills, swimming from the outside lane, turned for home in third place, but Canada's Audrey Lacroix finished over the top of her to grab the bronze in 58.89.

Schipper, 19, had won a silver behind her team mate Danni Miatke in the 50m butterfly final and is on course to win three gold medals in total.

She is the overwhelming favourite for the 200m event and the Australian medley relay team which she is a part of will start as near-certainties to win if the past four days is any guide.

Australia's domination of the women's swimming events in Melbourne has been extraordinary. Of the nine able-bodied finals decided by the end of Sunday's 100m butterfly, the host nation have won eight and finished a close second in the other.

REUTERS PM PM1502