Commonwealth Games Triumph

BAYSIDE gymnast Thomas Pichler tossed aside crippling injuries to win gold at the first day of the Commonwealth Games in Delhi.

And in the pool Chandler sprinter Kylie Palmer created an upset in the women’s 200m freestyle grabbing gold in Australia’s first medal of the games.

From Cleveland, 23-year-old Pichler, helped write Australia into Commonwealth Games history with its first win in the men’s team event.

With teammates Sam Offord, Josh Jefferis, Prashanth Sellathurai and Luke Wiwatowski, the group came from behind to beat England for gold.

Pichler almost didn’t make it to Delhi. About a year ago, he smashed a knee while skiing in Austria.

"Making mistakes is all part of life it’s a matter of learning from them and bouncing back,’’ he told the Wynnum Herald. With help from coach Serguei Chinkar, Pichler fought his way back, several times almost taking the soft option of quitting.

In the pool Palmer, 20, gave Australia’s Games campaign a glittering start when she equalled her personal best to win the 200m women’s freestyle in 1:57.50. Wes Palmer said his family was bursting with pride. The proud father said Kylie’s triumph was all the more sweet in the wake of her comeback from shoulder surgery.

A shoulder injury at the 2008 Beijing Olympics sidelined Kylie for a year, presenting physical and mental challenges. The mental side was ``very difficult’‘.

It was a night of emotional extremes for Bayside athletes, as medal favourite 23-year-old weightlifter Erika Yamasaki crashed out of the 48kg division after sweating off 4kg in the saunas to qualify.

Her night ended in tears after she collapsed failing in her third attempt at the clean-and-jerk.

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Ian Gault, Wynnum Herald, 06/10/10