Jones causes upset in 50 breast stroke, receives medal from United States Secretary of State

Leisel Jones upset world-record holder Jade Edmistone to win the 50-meter breaststroke at the Commonwealth Games on Friday.

Photo: Jones causes upset in 50 breast stroke, receives medal from United States Secretary of State

Jones won in 30.55 seconds, leading Edmistone and Tarnee White to an Australian medal sweep. Australian women also swept the medals in the 50 butterfly, won by world champion Danni Miatke.

England went 1-2 in the two men's events on the second night of competition, with Matthew Clay winning the 50 backstroke and Ross Davenport taking the 200 freestyle. It was the first win in international competition for both swimmers.

Their victories were watched by U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, who took time out from her visit to Australia to watch the finals.

She sat next to Australia 's multiple world and Olympic gold medalist Ian Thorpe, who was missing the event with a virus.

Rice, who was greeted with warm applause when introduced on the pool deck, presented Jones, Edmistone and White with their medals.

"It was very exciting because I'm not known as a 50 swimmer and ever since I was quite young, I've had slow starts," said Jones, the world champion in the 100-and 200-meter breaststroke events. "I'm putting things into place now."

Edmistone was in form to break her 30.31 world record set in the same pool on Jan. 30. But she was pipped by Jones, who holds the world marks over 100 and 200 meters. Edmistone clocked 30.84.

"You can never go into a race thinking you're going to win it," Edmistone said. "It's great to have someone like Leisel to race at every meet."

Miatke won the 50 'fly in a games record 26.43 seconds. She beat Australian teammate Jessicah Schipper, whom she embraced at the finish line.

"Those girls, they did awesome, like they did amazing," Miatke said. "To have all three of us on the dais is special for me and it's special for the rest of the team as well."

Australia 's Alice Mills and South Africa 's Lize-Mari Retief in an African record finished joint third in 26.78.

England won its first two gold medals in the pool. Clay surged to beat Liam Tancock, the pre-event favorite, in a personal best of 25.04.

"I'm pretty pleased with my first Commonwealth Games, and the gold couldn't have gone to a better man," said Tancock, who came within 0.04 seconds of the world record in the semis.

"Four hundredths away from the record, the second fastest man to swim the 50 you can't be disappointed with that."

With Thorpe watching the event in which he holds the 1-minute, 44.06-second world record, Davenport won the 200 free in one minute, 1:47.29, with Simon Burnett second and Canada's Brent Hayden third.

Roland Schoeman set a games record of 23.14 seconds in his semifinal to qualify fastest for Saturday's 50 meters butterfly final. Schoeman, who set the world record of 22.96 in winning last year's world championship title, raced a day after helping South Africa win gold in the 4x100 freestyle relay.

Olympic champion Jodie Henry set a games record of 54.11 to qualify fastest for Saturday's 100 freestyle final, finishing ahead of teammate Libby Lenton, the world-record holder. Lenton, who won silver in the 200 freestyle on Thursday, is trying to emulate fellow Australians Susie O'Neill and Thorpe in winning six golds at one Commonwealth Games.

South Africa 's Natalie du Toit set a world record of 29.27 over 50 freestyle in the Elite Athletes Disability category. Du Toit will also try to qualify for the 800 freestyle in open company. She had her lower left leg amputated after an auto accident in 2001, reports the AP.

D.M.