India off to winning start

New Delhi - Indian swimmer Arti Bajarang Ghorpade launched the first event of the Commonwealth Games on Monday with a home win in the opening heat of the women's 200m freestyle.

The 19-year-old easily won the first race of the swimming programme, beating two other swimmers in 2:12.20, but her time in the four-length event was well off the pace of the leading women in the three other heats.

Her win was greeted with enthusiastic support from local fans, who were thin on the ground for the early morning start at the S.P. Mukherjee Aquatics Centre.

The Commonwealth Games opened in New Delhi on Sunday night in a spectacular of dance, music and fireworks after a troubled build-up that saw withdrawals threatened over the state of the athletes' accommodation and venue safety.