COMMONWEALTH GAMES: Halsall settles for 50m freestyle silver

From Sportsbeat staff, in Delhi

 FRAN Halsall has completed her set at the 2010 Commonwealth Games - taking 50m freestyle silver as she battles back from illness - but she admitted defeat was yet another thing she found difficult to stomach in Delhi.

NO SILVER LINING: Fran Halsall finished second in the 50m freestyle final but admitted her disappointment at missing out on gold

Halsall's Commonwealth Games - and her bid for six medals - started in emphatic fashion - as she captured 50m butterfly victory on Tuesday.

She was struck down by illness however and had to settle for 100m freestyle bronze and failed to reach the 100m butterfly final - notably under the weather and feeling the side effects of a bout of Delhi belly.

Halsall's progress through to the 50m freestyle final was impressive enough and while she was in the hunt at the halfway stage, she was the first to admit she didn't have the energy to maintain her speed, touching home in 24.98.

And while she now has one gold, one silver and one bronze medal at the Commonwealth Games, she admitted defeat in the freestyle final a bitter pill to swallow.

"I'm disappointed, there's not a lot more I can say really," said Halsall. "I've started to feel a lot better than I did on Wednesday but I just don't have any energy.

"It's really frustrating because I put all my efforts into this competition this season. I've got three medals so I can't really complain but they are not the colour I wanted them to be.

"I'm only 20 though so I might yet go to the next Commonwealth Games in four years and put things right."

Gold went to Australia's 15-year-old Yolane Kukla, who touched home in 24.86 while England's Amy Smith could only manage seventh place.

Elsewhere, Australia's Geoff Huegill completed a fairytale comeback to collect his sixth Commonwealth Games gold medal in Delhi - 12 years after collecting his first in Kuala Lumpur.

Huegill captured gold by shattering the Commonwealth Games record, touching home in 51.69. while England's Antony James secured an impressive silver medal in 52.50.

James touched home in the same time as Ryan Pini of Papua New Guinea as both were awarded silver - and James, 20, insists there is plenty more to come.

"It feels fantastic," said James. "I'm so much younger than the rest of the guys in the field so to get a silver medal is a great achievement.

"I'm only 20 years old and so I know that there is plenty more to come from me. It's just an amazing feeling for me at the moment."

And in the men's 50m breaststroke, South Africa's world champion Cameron van der Burgh took victory in a world leading time and a Commonwealth Games record of 27.18.

 Follow all the action as it happens from the 2010 Commonwealth Games in Delhi