The 200m was the only gold medal which eluded the freestyle specialist in 2018 but she made up for that by completing her personal set and adding the Games record set by the Canadian who beat her on the Gold Coast.

But it was a nail-biting finish as Titmus was pushed all the way by her Queensland training partner Mollie O'Callaghan.

The Tasmanian led at every turn but O'Callaghan produced a stunning final leg only to miss out by 0.12 seconds as Titmus won in 1:53.89.

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Madison Wilson (1:56.17) completed the second Australian clean sweep of the evening by claiming bronze.

"That was very close having my training partner pushing me all the way," Titmus said.

"I knew coming into this that she would be there. She's young, she's feisty, she's hungry - that's what I was like! I am still like that, but she's been swimming really well and it's exciting to have a battle out there, it makes it fun."

Titmus admitted she didn't realise how close O'Callaghan was getting until the final turn.

"I was breathing the other way on the third lap and I thought that was where I could put my foot down and make a move and I knew she's got a great last turn.

"I saw her on the turn and was like 'She's there!' But I was happy that I had just enough to hold onto first.

"I swim with her every day so I knew exactly where she would be. She's been improving every day and that's exciting to keep me on my toes. It's good to always have young people coming up."

Titmus won gold in the 400m, 800m and 4x200m relay in 2018 but said she learned just as much from the silver in the 200m behind Canadian Taylor Ruck who chose not to defend her title in Birmingham.

"The Gold Coast was a great stepping stone for me, it';s where I learned to race on the international stage and I think helped me at the Olympics so I think that 200 on the Gold Coast was a good learning experience and it's good to finally have that in my repertoire, so I was happy to get this one."

Launceston-born, Queensland-based Titmus, who also claimed two golds, a silver and bronze at the 2020 Olympic Games and is a multiple world champion, is facing another daunting schedule at the Sandwell Aquatics Centre including the 400 and 800m plus another relay.

Tasmanian triathlete Jake Birtwhistle extended his excellent Commonwealth Games form with a fourth-place finish in Birmingham.

Despite narrowly missing the podium, the 27-year-old former under-23 world champion said he was delighted to add the performance to his individual silver and team relay gold from 2018.

Working his way up from 17th after the 750m swim, Launceston-born Birtwhistle sat in a large group chasing a breakaway front three during the 20km ride and then produced a solid 5km run to finish 16 seconds behind bronze medal-winning compatriot Matt Hauser.

British golden boy Alex Yee put in a stunning run to win from New Zealander Hayden Wilde who was denied gold by a 10-second time penalty.

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"It would've obviously been nice to be a little further up and get up on the podium with Matt but at the end of the day I'm pretty happy with that," Birtwhistle said.

"I feel prouder than normally a fourth place would make me. I haven't had any results to be proud of.

"I knew deep down it was still in me and I know I've been training well so it's nice to put together a decent swim, bike and run and get myself back in the mix a little bit."

Birtwhistle, whose maiden Olympic campaign in Tokyo yielded 16th place in the individual event and ninth in the mixed relay, had set himself the target of going one better than his Gold Coast silver medal, but said he knew that was going to be hard on an undulating course through picturesque Sutton Park.

"It was a solid race. We don't have too many run courses like that. I got off the bike and the legs felt really good for about a hundred metres then we turned up the hill and I thought 'you know what, I might have a tough day ahead of me'.

"I haven't had the best season so far but that for sure has been my most complete swim, bike and run."

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After a silver medal in the Oceania Triathlon Cup on the Gold Coast in April, Birtwhistle has contested World Triathlon Championship Series races in Yokohama, Leeds, Montreal and Hamburg leading into the Games.

With parents Alan and Carmen among plenty of supporters from Tasmania, Birtwhistle said it was a proud day.

"It's super nice to be here at a Commonwealth Games again. It's always a massive privilege to wear these colours and represent Australia and do it in front of my family and friends is really special.

"It's huge to have the crowd back for one thing but then the family and the people that mean the most to me. To have them up there makes it that little bit more special."

Georgia Baker claimed Tasmania's first gold medal of the Games.

The Australian team of Baker and debutants Maeve Plouffe, Sophie Edwards and Chloe Moran produced a dominant performance in the team pursuit to win in a new Games record time.

It represents the first major multi-sport event team pursuit victory for Perth's 27-year-old world champion who missed out on the Aussie triumph on the Gold Coast (where she also finished 21st in the points race) and came fifth at both the Rio and Tokyo Olympic Games.

Qualifying fastest in the morning session at the 2012 Olympic venue of Lee Valley Velopark, the Aussies tore apart New Zealand in the final to win by 5.75 seconds in a new Games benchmark of 4:12.234. England pipped Wales for the bronze medal.

"This is our first big multi-sport championship together, we've got some experience on the team but we also have some new legs and I think the hunger is really showing," Baker said.

"We haven't been together very much so to come out and break the Games record in qualifying and then smash it again in the final is pretty special."

Josh Duffy made it two Tasmanian medals in less than an hour as Australia added a bronze in the men's team pursuit.

Making his Commonwealth Games debut, the Launceston 22-year-old combined with compatriots Graeme Frislie, Lucas Plapp and Conor Leahy to record a new team personal best time of 3:50.403 to beat Wales by 3.122 seconds.

New Zealand set a new Games record of 3:47.575 to beat England by two seconds and claim the gold.

The medal continues an excellent run for Duffy who claimed Oceania titles in team pursuit and madison plus national successes in the madison, time trial and scratch race.

Rebecca Van Asch and her Jackaroos teammates began their defence of the women's fours bowls title with a thrilling 15-15 tie with Botswana.

In a see-sawing encounter at Victoria Park, the Australian team of Kristina Krstic (lead), Lynsey Clarke (second), Van Asch (third) and skip Natasha van Eldik trailed 4-7, bounced back to lead 9-7 and was 15-10 up before conceding five on the final end.

In their second match of the opening day, the Aussies beat Fiji 16-10.

Down 4-6 after five ends, Australia took the lead on the 10th and never looked back.

They next face Scotland on Saturday afternoon.

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