Aussies Win 11 Medals on First Day

Australia, England and Canada began their traditional Commonwealth Games rivalry Friday, collecting all 11 gold medals awarded on the first day of competition at the politically battered sports festival.

The effect of the mass boycott involving 31 of the original 58 teams that entered the games immediately left its mark. Three medals were not awarded because of a lack of competitors. Silver and bronze medals were scrapped in the 52-kilogram weightlifting division, where there were only three participants, while the women’s 800-meter freestyle swimming relay had only four teams and no bronze medalist.

The Australians led by winning 11 medals--5 golds, 3 silvers and 3 bronzes. England won nine medals, and Canada won four golds.

Australian swimmer Suzanne Landells, a silver medalist at the L.A. Olympics, smashed the six-year Commonwealth record of Sharron Davies in the 400-meter individual medley, clocking 4 minutes 58.82 seconds. Another Aussie, Duncan Armstrong, produced a strong finish to win the 400-meter freestyle in 3:52.25.