GLASGOW -- Ryan Cochrane said before the Commonwealth Games it would be difficult to repeat his double-gold performance of four years ago. Buffalo Sabres Gear . The Canadian swimmer is already halfway there. Cochrane powered past Australias David McKeon on the final lap Thursday to win the mens 400-metre freestyle for Canadas first gold medal on the first day of competition at the Games. The 25-year-old from Victoria broke his own Canadian record set at the 2008 Beijing Olympics by catching McKeon with just 25 metres to go. "I could tell I was reeling him in, but you also dont know where everyone is in the pool," said Cochrane. "You have to pick your battles of where you look. There were some many great guys in that final that I was just happy to touch first." Cochrane won with a time of three minutes 43.46 seconds for the fastest time so far in 2014, but said it wasnt his plan to allow McKeon -- who wound up 0.63 seconds back -- to get so far ahead. The Australian jumped out to a big lead that he still held with 100 metres to go before Cochrane put things into overdrive. "I went out hard, and he went out a little harder," said Cochrane. "What worked for me was that it was hard but it was smooth. In the past Ive got excited and it hasnt really helped me, where this time I worked on my strengths and I think that really carried me through the entire race." Canada also picked up a bronze medal in the pool on Thursday with Montreals Victoria Poon, Alyson Ackman and Sandrine Mainville and Torontos Michelle Williams finishing third in the womens 4x100-metre freestyle. Canada won four total medals after Kirsten Sweetland -- who grew up with Cochrane in Victoria -- opened the day with a silver in triathlon and the Canadian women won gold in the rhythmic gymnastics team event. Canada stood fourth in the medal standings while England took the early lead with 17 total medals, including six gold. A two-time Olympic medallist, Cochrane won gold in both the 400- and 1,500-metre freestyle at the 2010 Commonwealth Games in New Delhi and is off to a great start in Scotland. "Its stressful swimming first day, almost first event, but its exciting to get a race done and see how that sets you up from the rest of the meet," said Cochrane. "This was by far going to be the harder race, not to say the 1,500 will be easy, because it never is. "Those guys (in the 400 metres) have gone fast time and time again so Im happy I could do it when it counts." Cochrane added hes hoping the performance will be a springboard as he prepares for next summers Pan American Games in Toronto, and what will almost surely be his final Olympics in 2016. "I think getting the results here are fantastic and getting the podium and hearing our anthem is what we dream of," said Cochrane. "But also going best time and working off that ... when I hadnt got a best time year after year that was a bit difficult. "I can build off that the next few years." Cochrane has been trying out new training methods this year and said he finally saw the results he was hoping for on a big stage. "You always have to focus year after year on what your strengths are," he said. "I think that race was something that, start to finish, was definitely one where I focused on what I do well instead of what other people do well. "A lot of time I touch the wall and Im happy with the result, but I can think of five things that I did wrong. Youre always focusing on the next event. This time I was just so ecstatic to go best time and it was a swim I was really proud of." Later Thursday, Australia set a world record with a time of 3:30.98 in the womens 4x100-metre freestyle, followed by England (3:35.72) and Canada (3:40.00). Poon said the Canadian swimmers were inspired by Cochranes performance. "For sure its a positive motivation for us," said Poon. "He won in the last 25 metres -- I mean, come on. "Its just amazing to see him race and he gives us a really good vibe." Englands James Guy (3:44.58) was third behind Cochrane in a raucous Tollcross International Swimming Centre that cheered on Scotlands first two gold medals on home soil. Hannah Miley won the womens 400-metre individual medley with a time of 4:31.76, powering away in the final 50 metres to set a Commonwealth Games record ahead of Englands Aimee Willmott (4:33.01) and Australias Keryn McMaster (4:36.35). Ross Murdoch (2:07.30) and Michael Jamieson (2:08.40) then gave Scotland a 1-2 finish in the mens 200-metre backstroke, with Englands Andrew Willis (2:09.87) taking the bronze. Cochrane said the atmosphere was electric for all the athletes, not just the hosts. "For 5,000 people it felt like 20,000 people. Theyre just really excited," he said. "The most important thing as an athlete is you can focus you own race (but) that excitement factor is something on top of what you can do and I really felt it tonight." Gymnast Maria Kitkarska of Montreal also felt the power of the crowd as she helped her team, which also included Annabelle Kovacs of Vancouver and Patricia Bezzoubenko of Thornhill, Ont., to gold. "We never competed in such a full house and the cheering was amazing and pumping us up for our routines," she said. Ottawa native Erika Seltenreich-Hodgson was the top Canadian in the womens 400-metre individual medley behind Miley, followed by Vancouvers Emily Overholt in fifth and Marni Oldershaw of Oakville, Ont., in sixth. Torontos Brittany MacLean finished fifth in the womens 200-metre freestyle, while Samantha Cheverton of Pointe-Claire, Que., was seventh. MacLean was pleased with her race, but was thrilled for Cochrane. "Oh my gosh that was so exciting," said the 20-year-old. "Hes just as good a teammate as he is in the water. He really has been a leader on this team." Oakvilles Tera van Beilan finished second in her semifinal of the womens 50-metre breaststroke to advance, Katerine Savard and Audrey Lacroix of Pont-Rouge, Que., qualified for the womens 100-metre butterfly final and Calgarys Russell Wood made the final of the mens 100-metre backstroke. Cochrane, meanwhile, is set to compete in the 200-metre freestyle on Friday before he defends his 1,500-metre title on Tuesday. "The 200 will be exciting. It will be a splash and dash," he said. "Its (a short distance) for me, but Ill take what I learned tonight and hopefully I will be that much faster in the morning." Sabres Jerseys China . Cincinnati has lost back-to-back games in overtime, wasting a chance to take a commanding lead in their division. Stitched Sabres Jerseys . And on Sunday against the Houston Astros they were pleased to see his work finally pay off with his first win since May 24. https://www.cheapsabres.com/ . In the second game of their day/night doubleheader at Minneapolis, three Blue Jays pitchers, Steve Delabar, Sergio Santos and J.REGINA - Canadian long-track speedskater Lucas Makowsky, who helped Canada win a gold medal in mens team pursuit at the 2010 Vancouver Games, has announced his retirement from competitive skating. The 26-year-old Regina native teamed up with Denny Morrison and Mathieu Giroux to win gold in 2010. Makowsky also was 13th in the 5,000 metres and 19th in the 1,500m in Vancouver. He also rrepresented Canada at the 2014 Games in Sochi, helping the pursuit team finish fourth and finishing 28th in the 1,500. Buffalo Sabres Shirts. "If I continued to skate, I know my heart wouldnt be in it 100 per cent anymore. And if Im not 100 per cent committed, itll be impossible to continue to be the very best that I can," he said in a statement on his website Monday. ' ' '