Hosts Aim to Keep Up Hot Start In Gold Coast

(ATR) One day after opening the 2018 Commonwealth Games, Australia won 15 medals on its first day of competition.

Australia and England sit atop the medal table by a large margin, after a number of world records were broken and unfamiliar countries secured medals. Australia finished the day with 15 medals, while England racked up 12. England won six gold medals, while Australia won five.

A total of 13 sports held competitions on the first day. Athletes from 71 teams comprising the Commonwealth are in Gold Coast, Australia, competing in 26 sports. The Games opened on April 4 and will run through April 15.

Australia’s first medal of the Games came during the triathlon with Jake Birtwhistle winning silver, and the host’s first gold medal came in the men’s 400m freestyle won by Mack Horton.

The hosts shined today in the velodrome winning three gold medals. Australia swept both the men’s and women’s team pursuit, and followed that up with gold in the women’s team sprint.

The first gold medal of the Games was won by Flora Duffy of Bermuda in the women’s triathlon. Her victory made her the first ever female gold medalist from the small island country. Duffy was a medal contender in Rio de Janeiro at the Olympics, but fell to eighth. The Gold Coast victory follows two straight triathlon world championships.

"I am from a tiny country with not a lot of medalists so I am expected to win," Duffy said after her victory, according to a Commonwealth Games Federation release. "I try to forget about it because I do it every week, so that's how I deal with the pressure."

Royal Apology Issued

The 2018 Commonwealth Games were opened by Charles, Prince of Wales, but a Buckingham Palace statement focuses on the actions, or lack thereof, of his wife Camilla.

The palace has released a statement countering media reports that Camilla was bored by the opening ceremony in Gold Coast.

"The Prince and The Duchess thoroughly enjoyed the opening ceremony," the statement read. "They found it entertaining and moving particularly the indigenous musical performances and the smoking ceremony."

Commonwealth Games officials spent the first day defending the royal couple, noting long travel times and a packed schedule to reporters. After the opening ceremony Prince Charles attended the first day’s swimming finals, while Camilla presented medals at track cycling.

Written by Aaron Bauer

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