Thorpedo is on course for gold with record
The 'Thorpedo' broke his own mark by 0.11 seconds, coming home in three minutes 40.08secs in an event where he has not been beaten since 1998.
Thorpe's easy strokes once again proved too much for team-mate Grant Hackett, who actually led after 100m and kept within half a body length of his phenomenal rival until he finally surged away midway down the sixth length.
Hackett still found himself a massive six seconds clear in silver medal position, but behind as a real scrap developed behind him between another Aussie, Craig Stevens, and Scotland's Graeme Smith.
At one stage it looked as though Smith would be defeated, but he bravely battled to the line, grabbing the vital touch which secured a highly deserved bronze medal.
Smith was overjoyed to finally complete his medal collection having taken prizes from all major meetings apart form the Commonwealth Games.
He said: "Before this meet I'd won medals at all major meets apart from the Commonwealths.
"It was the one I was missing and coming out of the last 100 there was no chance I was missing the bronze medal today.
"Swimming next to Thorpe's size 17 feet with the waves I was getting it was not the best race to swim in.
"After the Olympics in 2000 I considered calling it a day but my brother and my family convinced me to carry on. He told me I was one of the best distance swimmers in the world which I believe."
Earlier, England's Karen Pickering gave the home supporters a perfect start by holding off a determined finish from team-mate Karen Legg to land gold in the 200m freestyle.
The Ipswich veteran was trailing Legg at the halfway stage but surged past on the third length, then held on after the final turn to grab the 11th, and most satisfying medal of her Commonwealth career, plus a new Games record.
In athletics Colin Jackson's hopes of regaining his Commonwealth Games 110m hurdles title were left in tatters by South Africa's Shaun Bownes in Manchester tonight.
The 35-year-old Welshman had to settle for the silver medal as he was unexpectedly beaten by Bownes with England's defending champion Tony Jarrett in fourth.
Bownes won in 13.35secs from Jackson in 13.39secs with Jamaica's Maurice Wignall third in 13.62secs.
Jackson was furious with himself for misjudging the first hurdle, a mistake which he claimed cost him victory.
The Welshman said: "I absolutely slammed the first hurdle and from there on in I was just chasing.
"I was just way too close to it. I was thinking 'keep your form and just run through the field'. It was a total shock. I was just so close to that first hurdle it cost me the whole thing.
"As you see I just came out of the blocks and I knew straight away I was close. Once I got that done I was hurdling quite smoothly and that's what cheesed me off.
"It cost me the race. I can actually run well and that's the most disappointing thing, it's really annoying.
"But it's another one (medal) to add to the collection."
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