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Missile fires over mate McEvoy

Australian teammates Cameron McEvoy and James Magnussen celebrate their medal-winning performances in the 100m freestle in Glasgow. Pic: Ian Munro

The only person James Magnussen wanted to please in Glasgow tonight was himself.

Hurt by the loss to Australian teammate Cameron McEvoy in the 100m freestyle at the national trials and with a tough duel with the Americans looming at next month’s Pan Pacific championships, Magnussen needed some reassurance about his form.

He got it with victory in the two-lap race at the Commonwealth Games pushing McEvoy into silver with WA’s Tommaso D’Orsogna making it a special night for the green and gold army with the bronze medal.

Magnussen, the fastest man in the pool since the controversial supersuits were torn into rags four years ago, wasn’t interested in posting the world record, although he still believes he can do so in the near future.

His time of48.11secs was well outside the 46.91s registered by Brazil’s Cesar Cielo at the Rome championships in 2009.

However, it was the gold not the clock Magnussen wanted to claim.

“It wasn’t the quickest swim I’ve done in recent times but I wasn’t focused on times tonight,” Magnussen said. “I knew the world

record wasn’t on the table tonight.

“It takes the weight off my shoulders. Having a loss at trials is not ideal. So I just wanted to get the win tonight to reaffirm to myself that I have still got it, that I’m still going good and can focus on getting my quickest race together for the Americans in the Pan Pacs because they’ll bring some more heat again.

“Trials hurt a bit but it was probably that initial embarrassment of losing. I was pretty much over it in a day or two. It did motivate me and I probably trained quite a bit harder between trials and here because of it.

“It was a pretty big block of training so it would have been hard to do had I had an awesome trials and not a lot of motivation.”

For D’Orsogna, third place was akin to a win.

The Perth-born and raised swimmer has been a regular on the Australian team for six years but his success has been limited to relays.

So to have an individual honour has motivated him to tread the path to Rio de Janeiro for the 2016 Olympic Games.

“It is amazing. It is my first long course major international medal. So for me it is really, really exciting,” D’Orsogna said.

“It just goes to show the work I’ve been doing with (coach) Simon Cusack in Brisbane, alongside Cate (Campbell), Bronte (Campbell) and Christian (Sprenger) – they’re a few of great guys there – is working and it showed.

“Tonight wasn’t about us as individuals it was about Australia versus the rest.

“It wasn’t really even important who came first, second or third. The important thing was the three of us were on the podium

there and that is exactly what we did.”

D’Orsogna, buoyed by his freestyle swim, also qualified fifth fastest for tomorrow night’s 100m butterfly final in 52.74s.

Such is the respect for D’Orsogna’s presence in the Dolphins pod the first words from McEvoy after the race were in reference to his teammate.

“I’m stoked that Tommaso got his first international medal,” McEvoy said.

“It just goes to show the work I’ve been doing with (coach) Simon Cusack in Brisbane, alongside Cate (Campbell), Bronte (Campbell) and Christian (Sprenger) – they’re a few of great guys there – is working and it showed.