Day 2: Surprise as Wallace leads Scots gold charge

Dan Wallace salutes the crowd after receiving his gold medal following his dramatic victory in the mens 400m individual medley final. Picture: Andrew OBrien

THE Gold Rush continued for Scotland on the second day of competition at the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games with three new champions for the home fans to hail.

The most dramatic triumph came late last night at the Tollcross swimming centre when Dan Wallace triumphed in the 400 metres individual medley, beating Australia’s Thomas Fraser-Holmes into second place and Sebastien Rousseau of South Africa into third.

Earlier, visually impaired cyclist Neil Fachie and his pilot Craig MacLean stormed to victory in the men’s Para-Sport 1,000m Time Trial B2 tandem at the Sir Chris Hoy velodrome.

And judo player Sarah Clark was crowned champion in the under-63kg weight division.

When asked what he shouted at the end of his race, Wallace said: “I yelled at the top of my lungs for freedom. Being here in front of a home crowd really brought out the Braveheart spirit and true Scot in me.”

On the race, he added: “I knew where I had to be at the 200m mark and knew I had the best breaststroke left in the field.”

Reigning Paralympic champion Fachie, from Aberdeen, said after his emotional win in Scotland colours: “We’ve worked really hard for this and that ride was the most painful experience of either of our lives I think. So I think we deserve this medal.

“We’ve both stood on top of the podium many a time but you know, obviously, to do it for Scotland in Scotland is something most athletes can only dream of so it was a nice moment that we’ll never forget.