In the absence of star teammate Usain Bolt, Kemar Bailey-Cole maintained Jamaica’s supremacy in the men’s 100m at the Commonwealth Games on Monday, but Nigeria’s Blessing Okagbare spoiled the country’s hopes of a sprint double with a blistering win in the women’s event.
The 22-year-old Bailey-Cole came back from a poor start to power through in 10 seconds, with England’s Adam Gemili just edging Nickel Ashmeade to take second in 10.10 seconds.
Bolt, a six-time Olympic medalist and double sprint world record holder, will only compete in the 4x100m in Glasgow, Scotland.
Photo: Reuters
“The aim was to come out here and win and I did just that. I said to myself: ‘These guys can’t beat me,’’ Baily-Cole said.
Bolt congratulated Bailey-Cole on his victory, tweeting: “TeamJamaica all the way .. congrats @KemarBaileyCole #Glasgow2014 #gold.”
However, there was no Jamaican double joy in the 100m as Okagbare produced a scintillating run to claim gold in a new Commonwealth record time of 10.85 seconds.
Photo: Reuters
For Okagbare, the victory was step one in her bid to claim Commonwealth treble as she also competes in the 200m and long jump.
Jamaica duo Veronica Campbell-Brown and Kerron Stewart had to settle for silver and bronze respectively at Hampden Park.
In the field, Jamaican O’Dayne Richards won the men’s shot put in a Games record 21.61m, as Canada’s Sultana Frizell threw another meet record of 71.97m to defend her title.
Photo: AFP
In the pool, Australia claimed two more titles and podium sweeps, but South Africa and England also won double gold on the night.
Australia won two of their four gold medals of the day in the Tollcross International Swimming Centre to sit top of the overall medals table with 30 golds. England are second with 27 golds, while hosts Scotland hold 13, topping their previous record-high of 11 at the Melbourne 2006 Commonwealth Games.
Cate Campbell added Commonwealth 100m freestyle gold to her world title as she edged sister Bronte Campbell, with Emma McKeon making it an all-Australia podium.
The 22-year-old victor smashed the Commonwealth record set by her sister earlier in the meet in a time of 52.68 seconds.
Mitch Larkin led a sweep in the men’s 200m backstroke ahead of Josh Beaver and Matson Lawson, a win that meant Australia now have 17 of the 36 gold medals on offer in the pool in Glasgow.
Elsewhere, on Monday South Africa star duo Cameron Van der Burgh and Chad le Clos were both back on top of the podium.
Van der Burgh hailed the most “emotional” victory of his career as he gained revenge on Adam Peaty with victory in the men’s 50m breaststroke, as Le Clos set a new Games record on his way to victory in the men’s 100m butterfly.
England’s Sophie Taylor came out on top in the women’s 100m breaststroke after compatriot Ollie Hynds won the men’s Para-Sport 200m individual medley SM8.
Meanwhile, Jazz Carlin became Wales’ first Commonwealth swimming gold medalist in 40 years after winning the women’s 800m freestyle, as Audrey Lacroix gave Canada gold in the women’s 200m butterfly.
In squash, Malaysian Nicol David and England’s Nick Matthew both retained their singles titles.
Matthew, 34, beat compatriot James Willstrop 11-9, 8-11, 11-5, 6-11, 11-5 at the Scotstoun Sports Campus to become the oldest individual gold-medal winner in squash, while Peter Barker completed an England podium sweep.
David crushed English world champion Laura Massaro 12-10, 11-2, 11-5 in a one-sided women’s final which lasted just 44 minutes.
In weightlifting, Marie Fegue won the women’s 69kg category to hand Cameroon their first Commonwealth gold medal since 2002, as New Zealand’s Richard Patterson took gold in the men’s 85kg final.
In shooting, Australia claimed two golds as Warren Potent set a Games record in the final of the men’s 50m rifle prone and Laetisha Scanlan qualified last in the women’s trap, but beat Georgia Konstantinidou in the gold-medal match.
Sally Johnston won New Zealand’s first shooting gold of the Games in the women’s 50m prone, as Jitu Rai gave India a seventh gold in the men’s 50m pistol event.
Singapore retained their men’s table tennis team title after beating England 3-1 and Malaysia defended their badminton mixed team crown with a 3-1 victory over England.
In bowls, South Africa beat Northern Ireland 19-10 for the men’s triples gold and Scotland’s Alex Marshall and Paul Foster crushed Malaysia 20-3 in the men’s pairs.
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