Swimmer Ryan Cochrane has repeated as the Commonwealth Games champion in the men's 400-metre freestyle, winning Canada's first gold medal in Glasgow on Thursday.

Cochrane was the second Victoria athlete to reach the podium on the opening day of competition. Earlier, Kirsten Sweetland took the silver in the women's triathlon for Canada's first medal of the Games.

Cochrane, 25, posted a time of three minutes 43.46 seconds — 0.63 seconds ahead of Australia's David McKeon. England's James Guy was third in 3:44.58.

A six-time world championship medallist, Cochrane is also the defending Commonwealth champ in the 1,500 free, which goes later in the Games. He owns a pair of Olympic medals at that distance.

Canadian women win bronze

Canada's 4x100-metre freestyle relay team captured a bronze medal in a race in which Australia broke the world record.

The Aussies' time of 3:30.98 bettered the Netherlands' mark of 3:31.72 set in 2009.

England finished second, 4.74 seconds behind Australia.

The Canadian team of Alyson Ackman, Michelle Williams, Sandrine Mainville and Victoria Poon was 9.02 seconds back of the winners.