Adlington (pictured), who won gold in the 800m freestyle event just 24 hours before the 400m final, brushed off all talk of previously suspect pool water and "Delhi belly" among the swimmers to dominate the race from start to finish.

The double Beijing 2008 champion touched first in 4:05.68 seconds to shatter fellow English woman Sarah Hardcastle's 1986 Commonwealth Games record by exactly two seconds.

Kylie Palmer of Australia picked up silver while Wales' Jazmin Carlin claimed bronze although neither were close to upsetting Adlington.

The 21-year-old from Mansfield, who also has two bronze medals from the 200m freestyle and the 4x200m relay, said: "It felt really tough this morning (in the heats) after the 800m freestyle last night but all of the aches have gone and I am thrilled to be Commonwealth champion.

"The whole team has had such a great meet.

"There have been some minor issues but we have never been distracted and none of us care about it.

"We just care passionately about our performances in the pool.

"As swimmers we just get on with it and race through it and the medals have been flowing."

In winning the gold, Adlington has become the first woman in 28 years to win a medal in the 200m, 400m and 800m freestyle in a single Commonwealth Games.

She added: "This has been a massive boost for me to win two golds and it shows how I have learnt to manage a massive programme and gives me confidence for next year."

In the men's 100m backstroke, England's world champion Liam Tancock also became a double Commonwealth Games champion as, following his victory in the 50m backstroke, he defended the title he won four years ago with a new Commonwealth record in a time of 53.59.

In doing so, the 25-year-old became only the second man in Commonwealth history to win the event twice as he pushed Daniel Bell of New Zealand into silver and Australia's Ashley Delaney into bronze.

Tancock said: "Four years ago I won this event in Melbourne and to come back and be double Commonwealth champion in Delhi is pretty cool.

"People say that I am a 50m swimmer but I am showing all of the time that I am no slouch in 100m.

"This is my main event and my focus for the future."

There was a further good news for England in the pool as the team secured a one-two finish in the men's 200m individual medley where James Goddard brought home England's first ever gold in the event.

The 27-year-old, who set a new Games record of 1:58:10 in the process, was followed in second by compatriot Joseph Roebuck with silver and Leith Brodie of Australia who took bronze.

Goddard said: "It wasn't as quick as I wanted but double Commonwealth champion, I'll take that.

"I really had to give it everything and I am pleased with my breaststroke leg that I have been working on in training."

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