Olympic champions Kirani James and Greg Rutherford brought world-class performances to the Commonwealth Games on Wednesday, while Usain Bolt hit back at claims that he had made disparaging remarks about the event.
James won the men’s 400m to give Grenada their first Commonwealth gold and become the first man to win a gold medal in the discipline at both Olympic and Commonwealth levels.
“I am happy for my country and everyone affiliated to us,” said the 21-year-old, who took gold ahead of Wayde van Niekerk of South Africa and Trinidad and Toboga’s Lalonde Gordon.
Photo: Reuters
England’s Rutherford, 27, backed up his Olympic long jump gold in 2012 by snagging the Commonwealth title.
His leap of 8.20m was enough to defeat South Africa’s Zarck Visser by 8cm, with Rushwahl Samaai — also of South Africa — taking bronze.
Elsewhere, Canada’s Derek Drouin won the men’s high jump to add to his Olympic bronze.
Kenya swept the women’s 3000m steeplechase with Purity Cherotich Kirui leading home Milcah Chemos Cheywa and Joan Kipkemoi.
In the heptathlon, there was a Canadian one-two courtesy of Brianne Theisen-Eaton and Jessica Zelinka, while in the shot put, New Zealand’s Valerie Adams once again showcased her unbeatable talent, adding a third Commonwealth crown to two Olympic and four world gold medals, easily beating the field with her second effort of 19.88m.
Australia’s world silver medalist Kim Mickle threw a Games record of 65.96m to win the women’s javelin, a perfect boost after the country’s athletics federation earlier suspended head coach Eric Hollingsworth for disparaging comments about the team’s star hurdler, Sally Pearson.
Olympic 800m champion David Rudisha was also on show on Wednesday, qualifying for yesterday’s final in a cool gun-to-tape semi-final victory.
Earlier on Wednesday, Jamaica’s Warren Weir, the 200m favorite in the absence of compatriot Bolt, cruised through his heat in a comfortable time of 20.71 seconds.
Also qualifying for the semi-finals were Daniel Bailey of Antigua and South African Wayde van Niekerk.
Bolt was irate after the Times newspaper reported that he had called the Glasgow Games “a bit shit,” ahead of his appearance in the 4x100m relay.
Asked if he was having a good time in the Scottish city, the 100m and 200m Olympic champion and world record holder reportedly replied “not really” and said that the London 2012 Olympics “were better.”
Yet Bolt and his manager later called the claims “rubbish” and the athlete took to Twitter to deny the report.
“I’m waking up to this nonsense ... journalist please don’t create lies to make headlines,” Bolt wrote.
The sprint superstar was later seen cheering on the Jamaica netball team in a group game against New Zealand, where he joined in a Mexican wave and told reporters the Games were “awesome.”
In the diving competition taking place in Edinburgh, favored Canadian pair Meaghan Benfeito and Roseline Filion took gold in the women’s synchronized 10m platform.
England took the day’s other two golds, with Jack Laugher in the men’s 1m springboard, while the women’s 3m synchronized springboard title went to Alicia Blagg and Rebecca Gallantree.
In gymnastics, England’s Max Whitlock won the men’s individual all-around final, while compatriot Claudia Fragapane led an England one-two-three in the women’s event.
Also on the day, Canada and Nigeria dominated freestyle wrestling.
David Trembley took the men’s under-61kg title, with Arjun Gill claiming gold in the under-97kg division and victory in the women’s under-69kg going to Dori Yeats.
Nigeria’s Odunayo Adekuoroye took the women’s under-53kg and Aminat Adeniyi the under-58kg title/
Maryam Usman claimed gold for Nigeria in women’s over-75kg weightlifting, with defending champion Ele Opeloge of Samoa taking silver, just six months after giving birth.
David Katoatau won the tiny Pacific island nation of Kiribati’s first-ever medal at the Games as he claimed gold in men’s 105kg weightlifting.
NO HARD FEELINGS: Taiwan’s Lin Hsiang-ti and Indonesia’s Dhinda Amartya Pratiwi embraced after fighting to a tense and rare 30-29 final game in their Uber Cup match The Taiwanese men’s team on Wednesday fought back from the brink of elimination to defeat Denmark in Group C and advance to the quarter-finals of the Thomas Cup, while the women’s team were to face South Korea after press time last night in the Uber Cup quarter-finals in Horsens, Denmark. In the first match, Taiwan’s top shuttler Chou Tien-chen faced a familiar opponent in world No. 3 Anders Antonsen. It was their 16th head-to-head matchup, with the Dane taking his fourth victory in a row against former world No. 2 Chou, winning 21-14, 13-21, 21-15 in 1 hour, 22 minutes. The
Jannik Sinner continued his quest to become the first man in history to win five Masters 1000 tournaments in a row with a 6-2, 6-3 victory over Danish qualifier Elmer Moller at the Madrid Open on Sunday. The world leader extended his winning streak to 19 matches, a run that began early March in Indian Wells, and he has captured 24 consecutive victories at the Masters 1000 level, dating back to the Paris Masters last October. Searching for a maiden title at this level on clay, Sinner advanced to the round of 16 at the Caja Magica with a 77-minute performance against
Tennis players are facing an unexpected opponent at the Madrid Open. A stomach virus or food poisoning has affected Iga Swiatek, Coco Gauff, Marin Cilic and others, raising concerns. World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka avoided an upset by Naomi Osaka on the court on Monday and said she is trying to avoid illness by sticking to a diet of chicken breasts, rice and salad. The rumor among the players was bad shrimp tacos were to blame. Sabalenka knocked on wood for luck and said, “So far, so good. I heard that I have to avoid those tacos,” she laughed, adding “I stick to the
Throwing more than US$5 billion at a divisive new tour and walking away after five seasons does not look like good business, but LIV Golf was not all bad news for Saudi Arabia. Oil-funded LIV, which poached top stars and sent golf’s establishment into a tailspin, helped push the conservative kingdom into global view — one of its key aims, experts said. The exit, confirmed on Thursday after weeks of speculation, does not signal a flight of Saudi money from sport, even after the Middle East war that sparked Iranian attacks around the Gulf, they said. “Saudi Arabia is not
RSS