Sensational Van Niekerk claims another gold, Le Clos can't make Commonwealth history

Team SA swimmers help push the country's medal tally to 16 on day 5 of the Commonwealth Games on Tuesday after an eventful evening at the Sandwell Aquatics Centre.

The star of the show was once again Lara van Niekerk as she claimed her second Commonwealth Games gold, winning the women's 100m breaststroke final in stunning fashion.

Lara van Niekerk (Gallo)

Swimming in lane 4, Van Niekerk powered to the lead and kept her consistency to come home ahead of 200m gold medallist and fellow South African Tatjana Schoenmaker, who took silver. 

Tatjana Schoenmaker and Lara van Niekerk (Getty)

The 19-year-old stopped the clock in 1:05.47 to comfortably seal South Africa's sixth gold in Birmingham. 

Later in the evening, Pieter Coetze added to the medal tally as he claimed bronze in the men's 200m backstroke final.

Coetze was sixth heading into the last 50m, but surged to third in a time of 1:56.77.

Pieter Coetze (Gallo)

England's Brodie Williams won gold in 1:56.40, and Australian Bradley Woodward took silver in 1:56.41.

This is Coetze's third medal in Birmingham after his gold in the 100m and silver in the 50m backstroke. 

Chad le Clos (Gallo)

Sadly, Chad le Clos failed in his bid to become the most decorated Commonwealth Games athlete of all time as he finished fourth in the men's 100m butterfly final.

Swimming in lane 5, Le Clos put in his all but could only touch the wall in 51.61, just 0.21 seconds off the podium places. 

Michael Houlie also missed out on a podium finish as he finished fourth in the men's 50m breaststroke final on Tuesday evening.

Swimming in lane 3, Houlie touched the wall in 27.36, just 0.04 seconds behind bronze medallist Ross Murdoch of Scotland (27.32).

Olympic world champion Adam Peaty delighted home fans as he stormed