The last swimming event of the Commonwealth Games could sum up what's going to happen for the next five days in Glasgow.
England swept past Australia at the halfway mark and hung on to take the title.
The English spoiled Australia's bid for a cleansweep of the relays when they won the men's 4x100m medley to close the swimming program on Tuesday and set themselves up to top the medals table for the first time since the 1986 Edinburgh Games.
With the Games halfway through, Australia is on 34 gold medals, only one ahead of England, but with their three biggest sports complete.
Swimming, track cycling and shooting accounted for 32 of Australia's gold and 85 of the 101 medals in total.
But they haven't provided a big enough buffer, with England likely to dominate gymnastics, boxing and squash and get the better of Australia in athletics in the final five days of competition.
Chef de mission Steve Moneghetti says he's delighted with the way Australia has performed so far, but acknowledges the team won't win as many medals in the next week.
"History would show not, but I don't think anybody does, it's just the nature of the program," Moneghetti said.
"While the success of the swimming and track cycling comes to an end ... it's a great opportunity to focus on some other sports.
"It's not about medal winning."
But it was for the swimmers and shooters, who picked up all four of Australia's gold medals on Tuesday to top their sports' medals tally.
Daniel Tranter took out the 200m individual medley before the women's 4x100m medley relay team won the nation's 19th swimming gold medal of the Games, and 57th medal in all.
And Adam Vella and David Chapman finished off Australia's successful campaign at the shooting range in Carnoustie where they won six gold medals.
Chapman won gold in the men's 25m rapid pistol to claim bragging rights over his daughter Hayley who was knocked out in her semi-final.
In winning the men's single trap gold, Vella was also finally able to get one over long time teammate and dual Olympic gold medallist Michael Diamond who finished fourth.
"He got the gold and I got the silver in the individual in Manchester 2002 so it's taken me a long time to get on top and win the gold," Vella said.
Australia's feuding squash players took to the court for the start of the doubles on Tuesday, with Ryan Cuskelly reluctantly partnering Matt Karwalski to win their games against Sri Lanka and New Zealand.
Karwalski replaced Cuskelly's best mate Zac Alexander in the doubles after winning an appeal last week, prompting Alexander to say his friend no longer wanted to take the court.
But Cuskelly joined Karwalski and although they appeared awkward with each other and had little interaction on and off the court, they still recorded two easy wins.
Weightlifter Simplice Ribouem also faced controversy on Tuesday, blasting officials after having gold snatched from his grasp in a dramatic 94kg competition.
Ribouem looked to have beaten PNG's Steven Kari whose attempt at a 200kg lift was deemed a no lift by the judges.
But the decision was overturned, leaving him emotionally wrecked after his 201kg attempt to win the competition ended in failure.
"He only wins because of the judge and he knows it ... I feel a winner," Ribouem said.
Share
