COMMONWEALTH GAMES: The irrepressible Australians smashed through the 200-medal barrier at 5.52 p.m. on the final day of the 17th Commonwealth Games when Jim Piper touched first for gold in the men's 200 metres breaststroke. All four remaining golds and two bronzes followed to contribute to a final total of 206 medals, including 82 gold.

It means Australia finished well ahead of hosts England's 54 gold and 165 total. Having dominated so much of the Games, yesterday they took the men's hockey and women's netball titles at New Zealand's expense. And swimmer Ian Thorpe aptly secured the final gold - his sixth - of the Games when he anchored home the men's 4x100m medley relay team.

The rugby sevens were a let-down for Australia, crashing 36-12 to England in the plate final for losing quarter-finalists yesterday. World sevens kings New Zealand retained their title at the expense of Fiji in the City of Manchester Stadium. The favourites won a thrilling final 33-15 thanks to late tries from Craig De Goldi, Bruce Reihana and Roger Randle, and thanks to Fiji's self-implosion - having two men red carded.

Just as the fiesta of sport began in the Aquatics Centre with the springboard diving finals 10 days previously, and Irina Lashko's gold, so it finished there last night with the last of the swimming finals. The Australians predictably led the gold rush. Canada, the traditional powerhouse in the pool, for the first time since 1954 finished without a swimming gold.

The Thorpe show, with his well-able supporting cast of Matt Welsh - the man who ended his seven-gold dream - plus Piper and Jim Huegill concluded the pool action. All four won individual golds, and breaststroker Huegill gave Thorpe a large lead to defend. He extended it and took the team home in 3:36.05, another Games record. It was the squad's 27th swimming gold.

Thorpe said afterwards: "These guys put in a great performance tonight. Swimming with these guys was just a privilege."