Launceston swimming sensation Ariarne Titmus has dominated her first heat at the Gold Coast Commonwealth Games.
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The teenager competed in the women’s 200-metre freestyle heats at 10.30am on Thursday.
Titmus ranked first in her heat and clocked the quickest time, 01.57.02, of the three heats.
The final heat is scheduled for 8.04pm on Thursday.
“That's a pretty big group from Tassie so I'm excited and hopefully I can set the tone for the rest of them,” she said.
Compatriot Emma McKeon won her heat in 1:57.40 after England’s Eleanor Faulkner clocked 1:57.87 to win the first heat.
“It was good to go out there and flush the cobwebs out,” Titmus said ahead of the event final, scheduled for 8.04pm the same day.
“The crowd’s amazing. I don't usually hear them when I'm swimming but I did today and it was a bit like Budapest last year (world championships) with the support for us. It's really exciting.
“I tried to come into this like any other race meet and think if you use the crowd smartly it's going to be an advantage and hopefully I can do that in the finals and make use of the adrenalin and atmosphere.”
Asked how she was dealing with the celebrity status that followed her claiming the 200, 400 and 800m freestyle treble at nationals, Titmus added: “I don't pay a lot of attention to it even when my dad shows me pictures in the paper. I'm just going to keep doing what I'm doing and not get distracted by all that.”
The event was the 17-year-old’s first of seven races in six days as the Brisbane-based Dolphin looks to medal in the 200m, 400m, 800m and 4x200m freestyle relay.
Titmus is one of 15 Tasmanians competing at the 2018 Commonwealth Games.