Andrew Jeffcoat

The 23-year-old also set a new New Zealand national record.

The unheralded swimmer tonight completed a startling ascent by winning the 50m backstroke final at Sandwell Aquatics Centre, claiming New Zealand's fifth gold ...

"This isn't just my medal," he said. "My career's been full of ups and downs," he said. "Missing out on the Olympics last year was one of those moments. "This is for everyone who's been supporting me, everyone who's ever given me a bed, everyone who's ever given me a meal. "Getting fourth isn't fun, and to be able to come and have fun and love what I do again is something special. "It's just being able to step up on the big stage.

New Zealand's Andrew Jeffcoat downed his national record Monday at the Commonwealth Games, swimming away with gold in the men's 50 back.

The bronze medal went to Javier Acevedo, who lowered his Canadian record to 24.97 seconds. In the process, Jeffcoat denied Coetze a sprint backstroke double. He had finished 13th in the event at the World Championships in Budapest in June. He also buzzed within .03 of the Games record that has stood since 2010 in the possession of England’s Liam Tancock (24.62).

Javier Acevedo (above) is now the first Canadian under 25.00 in the 50 back while New Zealand's Jeffcoat cracked his own national record to win gold.

With this swim, 23-year-old Jeffcoat won New Zealand’s fifth gold medal of the meet. That semifinal swim cracked the previous record, which he also set, in February, by .01. - Ben Armbruster(AUS), 25.37 - Bradley Woodward(AUS), 25.08 - Andrew Jeffcoat(NZL), 24.65 - LCM (50m)

On Tuesday morning (NZ time), Jeffcoat had a gold medal draped around his neck after his victory in the men's 50m backstroke final at the Commonwealth Games in ...

If quality local sport journalism is important to you, become a Stuff supporter today. A beautiful mind crunching all the player stats. You need journalists close enough to smell the liniment. “I'll take this home and ... I don't know what I'll do with it. “I sent him a message to tell him how proud I was of his achievements.” “And every time there's a down, I'll have my moment, to dwell on it, to have a bit of a cry and a bit of a moan but I'll get back and I'll use it.

New Zealand swimmer Andrew Jeffcoat bounced back from the "brink of depression" in the wake of missing the Olympics a year ago to savour a hard-won gold in ...

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Andrew Jeffcoat timed an individual best and New Zealand record of 24.65 seconds to pip South Africa's Pieter Coetze.

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