Welsh dramatically DQ’ed in heats

World champion and hot favourite Matt Welsh has been sensationally disqualified from the heats of the 200m backstroke. He won his heat with ease but was taken out for moving at the start. Pullbuoy’s source on poolside felt that Welsh had been harshly done by: “At take your marks, he came up a bit, stopped and came up a bit more but was still again prior to the gun.”

As expected there was a protest from the Australian team but that was unsuccessful, with the jury of appeal confirming the disqualifiaction after watching video evidence of the start. The final this evening is now wide open, with Scotland’s Gregor Tait and England’s Simon Militis surely now in the frame for the gold medal. Other challenges will come from second string Aussies Ethan Rolff and Leigh McBean.

200 back heat results