With an explosive final burst, Botswana's Nijel Amos has proven
Commonwealth Games gold isn't a given even for true sporting royalty.
Amos produced the upset of the Glasgow Games so far as he
turned the tables on Kenyan track legend David Rudisha in Thursday's
800m final.
World record holder and Olympic champion Rudisha, one of the
world's most dominant track athletes in recent years, turned for home in
front on a rain-sodden track at Hampden Park.
But the 25-year-old's 2013 injury woes caught up with him
over the last 100m as as Olympic silver medallist Amos stormed home to
claim victory in one minute and 45.18 seconds.
Rudisha, failing to replicate several reigning Olympic champions who
have dominated in track and field this week, took silver in 1:45.48 with
South Africa's Andre Olivier taking bronze in 1:46.03.
"I'm a little bit sad, but I'm fine," said Rudisha, who missed most of last season due to a knee injury.
"I would have wished to do better and maybe win a gold medal
here but it has been a tough season for me and I really did not have
enough preparation.
"I'm finding it a little bit difficult in the (last) 100m. I
think it's all about preparation and I didn't do enough - I'm lacking
something.
"I think next year will be a better year for me."
Amos paid tribute to his great Kenyan rival.
"This gentleman will always be the hero of the 800m," said
Amos, who was second when Rudisha smashed the world record in the London
Olympic final."
On another high-quality night of track and field, Nigerian
Blessing Okagbare claimed a women's sprint double, dominating the 200m
final after also winning Monday's 100m.
Rasheed Dwyer led a Jamaican cleansweep of the men's 200m to emulate teammate Kemar Bailey-Cole's victory in the 100m.
The two sprint golds for Jamaica came in the absence of the
their sprint superstar Usain Bolt, who will only compete in the 4x100m
relay starting on Friday.
Vikas Shive Gowda won the men's discus, ending India's
56-year gold medal drought in men's athletics at the Commonwealth Games,
while Sally Pearson cast a dramatic 24 hours aside to top the 100m
hurdles heats.
Earlier on Friday, England's Alex Dowsett and Linda Villumsen
of New Zealand won gold medals in the men's and women's cycling
individual time-trials.
Dowsett, second to David Millar four years ago, triumphed in
closely-contested race through the streets and suburbs of Glasgow with
Australian rider Rohan Dennis taking silver.
Scottish star Millar finished eighth.
"I had pretty low expectations and I fulfilled them," he said.
Along with the cycling gold, England collected three of the
five gold medals on offer in gymnastics to boot well clear atop the
medal tally.
They now have 44 gold medals, eight more than rivals
Australia, and appear certain to top the tally for the first time since
the Edinburgh Games in 1986.
Canada are third with 27 gold, picking up two in wrestling
and another in weightlifting, with George Kobaladze taking the +105kg
title in an upset.
Comments
Post a Comment