New Zealand flagbearer Sophie Pascoe has comfortably won her 200m medley para-swimming heat at the Commonwealth Games.
Photo: RNZ / Cole Eastham-Farrelly
Pascoe qualified for tonight's final, when she will defend her 2014 Commonwealth Games title, five seconds ahead of her nearest rival.
She is a triple Olympic gold medallist in the same event and holds the current world record of 2:24.90s.
The venue, Optus Aquatic Centre, posed "different challenges" because it was an outdoor pool, she said.
"[But] every race I swim I always try to do my best time."
Lewis Clareburt's surprise bronze in the men's 400m individual medley last night was inspiring, she said.
"I have lost my voice screaming at the TV. He is always helping me to do better."
Clareburt continued his run in the pool today, qualifying for tonight's 200m men's butterfly final.
New Zealand's Lewis Clareburt wins bronze in the mens 400m medley. Swimming. Photo: Photosport
Jesse Reynolds and Celyn Edwards both made it through to the final of the SB8 men's 100m breaststroke, although with only eight entrants, the heat was only held to determine lane order.
Reynolds swam close to his national record time of 1:21.20s, posting a time of 1:21.82s to qualify fourth fastest.
Three New Zealanders - Matthew Stanley, Sam Perry and Daniel Hunter - qualified for the men's 100m freestyle semi-finals, Helena Gasson qualified for the women's 50m butterfly semi-finals.
Both semi-finals will be held tonight.
