David Davies was Wales' brightest star in the 18th Commonwealth Games as he claimed gold and bronze in the swimming pool.

The 21-year-old from Barry barely broke sweat as he eased to victory in the 1,500m freestyle by nearly 12 seconds.

It was the first Welsh swimming gold medal for 32 years and Davies was just relieved to get the medal round his neck after being made the overwhelming favourite in the absence of Australia's Grant Hackett.

After strolling to success in 14 mins 57.63 secs, he said: "I feel like someone's lifted a massive weight off my shoulders.

"It was a massive relief. Since Hackett's withdrawal I've been expected to win which is a new experience for me.

"Sean Kerly said to me that if he went down to the bookies and put 1000 dollars on me he'd only get 20 back. That's pressure.

"But you've got to be in it to win it. I still had to do a job and no-one will say in 30 years' time that Grant Hackett wasn't there. The records will say that I won."

Davies also picked up the bronze on the opening night of Games when coming home behind Scotland's David Carry and Andrew Hurd of Canada in the 400m freestyle.

David Roberts also took bronze in the swimming pool, taking third in the Elite Athletes with a Disability 100m freestyle.

Michaela Breeze, who carried the flag for Wales at the closing ceremony, won Wales' first gold of the Games in the 63kg category of the weightlifting.

The 26-year-old physical education teacher finished ahead of Canadian duo Christine Girard and Miel McGerrigle.

Breeze had never lifted the record 100kg weight in the snatch before, even in training.

"I feel absolutely brilliant," she said. "This has made all those years of training and all the pain I've been through worthwhile because this is the one I've been waiting for.

"I'm so happy to have broken the Commonwealth record for the snatch and the overall score."

Shooter David Phelps was the other gold medallist, getting the better of England's Mike Babb in the 50m rifle prone event.

It was a relatively successful Games for Wales boxers as team captain Kevin Evans came home with a silver medal in the super-heavyweight category.

And there also were bronze medals for light flyweight Mo Nasir, featherweight Darren Edwards and light-welterweight Jamie Crees.

High jumper Julie Crane also carried home a silver medal and gymnast David Eaton likewise in the men's horizontal bar.

Lawn bowls pair Robert Weale and Elizabeth Morgan came within touching distance of gold medals in the singles but had to settle for silver after both lost their respective finals.

And cyclist Nicole Cooke won Wales' last medal of the Games, being edged into bronze-medal position in a sprint for the line by Aussie Oenone Wood.