Commonwealth Games: Isle of Man swimmers shatter Manx relay record

Alex Bregazzi, Harry Robinson, Joel Watterson and Peter Allen broke the Manx record by 22.68 seconds

The Isle of Man's swimming team has shattered the Manx record in the men's 4x200m freestyle relay final at the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham.

Alex Bregazzi, Harry Robinson, Joel Watterson and Peter Allen swam a time of seven minutes 43.7 seconds.

That knocked 22.68 seconds off the previous record, which was set in 2014.

It is the second new fastest time the team has set in a final at the Games, after already knocking a second off the 4x100m freestyle relay Manx record.

Allen said taking part in the race was "such an enjoyable experience".

The team finished Monday evening's race in seventh place, 38.74 seconds behind the winners Australia.

Speaking to Manx Radio, Allen said the race itself was "very similar" to the previous final they competed in.

"With the 4x200m it's just 100m more for everyone, so it hurts a bit more, that's pretty much how it feels," the 20-year-old said.

"We've done some really good 100m this week, so we knew we had the pace there. It's just getting in the mindset of when you go up from the 100m just to [maintain] that easy speed that we know we've got, so that can give you some confidence," 24-year-old Bregazzi added.

"And then it's just about seeing where you are after 100m and just try to enjoy the experience and grind through."

Watterson, 23, said it was "hard going out" with such strong competition in the other lanes.

He said: "You've got Canada on your right, South Africa on your felt, Isle of Man in the middle, it's crazy to be honest.

"But just to be part of an experience like that is something else."

Reflecting on the atmosphere in the Sandwell Aquatics Centre, Allen added: "I was just standing watching for a while afterwards looking at the crowds because you don't really get to experience that."

Commenting on the possibility of the Manx record being broken again in the future, Watterson said: "We hope there's a team here that is just as good if not better to be able to break it again, because that's what they're there for, that's what we'd like to see."

Laura Kinley took 13th place in the women's 100m breaststroke semi-final

Also competing in the pool on Monday evening was the Isle of Man's Laura Kinley.

The 26-year-old was up against some tough competition in the women's 100m breaststroke semi-final, posting a time of 1:10.77.

She finished 13th overall, 4.81 seconds behind the fastest swimmer, South Africa's Lara van Niekerk.

She told Manx Radio after the heat that she was "pleased with that swim".

"It was a hard swim really, but you know I went out there and gave everything I had," she said.

"I'm a bit more of a sprinter anyway, so I kind of had the easy speed going out, and I did try to rein it in a little bit on this, but I think the excitement kind of gets ahead of you a little bit.

"So I probably went out a little bit fast but I gave my all. To match the kind of position that I went in with, I'm pleased with that."