Schipper cruises in women's butterfly

By Staff
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Google Oneindia News

MELBOURNE, Mar 21 (Reuters) Australian Jessicah Schipper cruised to the fastest qualifying time for the women's 200 metres butterfly final at the Commonwealth Games today.

Schipper, who will be looking to add the 200m gold to her 100m title, conserved energy for the evening final, clocking two minutes 09.77 seconds.

England's Terri Dunning was second fastest in 2:10.46 with Audrey Lacroix of Canada third in 2:10.94.

Australia lead the medals table before the final session of the six-day swimming competition with 13 gold -- all of them won by their dominant female swimmers.

The host nation's men have disappointed in the enforced absence of Ian Thorpe and Grant Hackett.

England finished day five with eight gold medals with Scotland having won six -- easily their best Games swimming haul.

Schipper stormed to the 100m at the weekend to add a Commonwealth title to the gold she won in the same event at last year's world championships in Montreal.

A world record in the 200m final remains a distinct possibility for the 19-year-old.

Schipper's Australian team mate Leisel Jones set the first swimming world record of the Melbourne Games in the women's 100m breaststroke yesterday.

Stephanie Rice was fastest in the women's 400m individual medley heats in 4:47.89 with fellow Australian Jennifer Reilly clocking 4:47.94.

Canada's Michael Brown went quickest in the men's 200m breaststroke heats in 2:14.49 -- more than a second faster than Australians Jim Piper and Brenton Rickard.

REUTERS VJ RAI0653

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