Perennial powerhouses in the pool Australia once again showed their ability to rise to the big occasion as they claimed three gold medals and set two world records in the process.

But t will be the atmosphere and raw emotion emanating from the packed stands in this arena that will live long in the memory on the first night of swimming finals at Glasgow 2014.

It was Miley who got proceedings off to the perfect start for the hosts as she smashed her own Commonwealth Games record in the 400 metres individual medley, clocking a time of 4min 31:76sec to improve on her time of 4:38:27 set earlier in the day.

Miley trailed England's Aimee Willmott going into the last 50m but reeled in her opponent to touch home first with bronze going to Keryn McMaster of Australia.

"Oh my God, that was just incredible," said the 24-year-old, who defended her title from Delhi 2010.

"I literally couldn't feel my legs for the last 50m so, when I touched the wall, I was hoping and praying that I could go fast."

If Miley was praying then Murdoch looked stunned when his name appeared beside the number one on the big screen here as he overcame team mate and favourite Michael Jamieson in the men's 200m breaststroke.

It should not have perhaps come as that much of a surprise though as Murdoch had finished ahead of the London 2012 silver medal winner in the heats earlier in the day.

But it was not to be the coronation many expected for Glasgow native Jamieson as the 20-year-old from Dumbarton clocked a Games record of 2:07:30.

Bronze went to Andrew Willis of England.

Ross Murdoch cannot believe his eyes when he looks at the big screen and sees that he is Commonwealth Games champion ©Getty Images



"There's no way that just happened," beamed Murdoch.

"I can't believe it.

"That was amazing.

"It's a dream come true.

"It was a massive personal best for me.

"I didn't think I could do that if I'm honest.

"I'm so surprised.

"I can't believe it's just happened."

There was no real surprise in the first men's final of the night as reigning champion Ryan Cochrane of Canada retained his title in the men's 400m freestyle ahead of Australian David McKeon and James Guy of England.

McKeon's sister Emma won the first of two gold medals when she set a Games record in the 200m freestyle final ahead of England's Siobhan Marie O'Connor and team mate Bronte Barratt.

O'Connor had led at the 100m mark but she was caught by McKeon soon after with both matching each other stroke-for-stroke for the rest of the way with McKeon just touching home less than three-tenths of a second ahead in a time of 1:55:57.

The Australian women's 4x100m freestyle team of Cate Campbell, Bronte Campbell, Emma McKeon and Melanie Schlanger who broke the world record in Glasgow ©Getty Images



The 20-year-old was not done there, however, as she returned to the pool at the end of the night to partner Bronte Campbell, Cate Campbell and Melanie Schlanger as they obliterated the field and the world record in an awesome performance in the 4x100m freestyle relay.

The Australian quartet finished just over five seconds ahead of second placed England with the Canadians coming in third.

The time of 3:30:98 surpassed the 3:31:72 set by The Netherlands in 2009.

In the men's Para-swimming 100m freestyle S9 event there was yet more success for the green and gold as 16-year-old Rowan Crothers broke his own world record, set in the heats, by more than three tenths of second as he stormed clear of the rest of the field with a time of 54.58sec.

The result was all the more remarkable considering he saw off the challenge of team mates and multi-Paralympic and world champions Matthew Cowdrey and Brenden Hall, second and third respectively.

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