Van Niekerk breaks 50m record twice, eyes Commonwealth gold: 'It's going to be amazing'

South Africa's new teen star Lara van Niekerk is on the verge of bringing home South Africa's first gold medal as she powered to a Commonwealth Games record in the 50m breaststroke on Friday.

Making her Commonwealth Games debut, Van Niekerk powered to a Games record not once but twice on the opening day of the Birmingham Games.

Van Niekerk, who took bronze at the FINA World Champs, had a lot to prove and the 19-year-old did not disappoint at Sandwell Aquatics Centre.

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In the 50m breaststroke heat, Van Niekerk set a new Commonwealth Games record in a time of 29.82 - only to break it again in the semi-finals later that night.

Van Niekerk won the second semi-final in her record time, touching the wall in 29.80 and could be eying Italian's Benedetta Pilato world record of 29.30.

"It felt amazing, it was really close and just broke it again, but it's everything in a 50m," said Van Niekerk on Friday evening.

"I'm just so happy, I got to break it twice in a day and we'll see, hopefully, I can break it again tomorrow night."

Van Niekerk won't be alone in Saturday's 50m breaststroke final as she'll be joined by Olympic gold medallist and world record holder Tatjana Schoenmaker and Olympian Kaylene Corbett.

Schoenmaker, whose speciality is the 200m breaststroke, went 30.95 in her semi-final as she came second behind England's Imogen Clark. 

Meanwhile, Corbett finished fourth in the same heat as Van Niekerk, and made the cut for the exciting final with a time of 31.43.

It'll see three South Africans in a swimming final, not a very common feat at the Commonwealth Games - usually dominated by Australians and the English.

"I don't think it's ever happened, not that I know of. But it's amazing, just having those