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Saturday, 27 July, 2002, 16:28 GMT 17:28 UK
Canada claim perfect 10
Canada have maintained their monopoly of synchronised swimming titles at the Commonwealth Games with victory in the duets.
The gold is the country's 10th since the event was introduced to the Games in 1986.
The result was not in doubt after Claire Carver-Dias and Fanny Letourneau opened up a three-point advantage in the morning's technical programme.
They extended their lead with a mesmerising free routine in the afternoon and finished more than six points clear of their English hosts, with Australia in third.
Carver-Dias showed no ill effects from a busy Friday, on which she sandwiched lunch with the Queen inbetween winning the solo title.
And afterwards she revealed that she was contemplating retirement at the age of 25.
"One of the things I always wanted to do was a Commonwealth Games," the Olympic bronze medallist revealed.
"I am delighted that I have won two gold medals here but I may start to think about doing other things."
She also claimed that the pressure of the ongoing record helped their performance.
"It was a pressure but a good sort of pressure.
"We know all about Canada's great synchro tradition at the Commonwealth Games.
"We have pride in that tradition and we wanted to maintain it - we wanted to achieve our best and put in a great routine this morning."
The pair's technical programme, to the fast-paced Sabre Dance, earned 94 points, 47 of which were carried forward to the free routine.
And during the second element of the competition Carver-Dias and Letourneau stamped their superiority on the rest of the field.
Each judge awarded them a mark of more than nine for their performance, a score of 47.417 taking their overall tally to 96.417.
They were given a rousing reception both morning and afternoon and finished more than two points ahead of Australia as the five-team field remained in the same positions they held at the halfway mark.
It was the first time England had beaten Australia and Hooper gave credit to the crowd.
"They gave us more energy and it was a major achievement for us to beat Australia," she said.
Malaysia and South Africa completed the line-up in fourth and fifth place respectively.
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