Martha Kelner reports on a boxing gold.
And with that, I’m done. It’s been eventful. Bye! Here by way of farewell gift is some extra reading, in the shape of Mike Hytner’s report on Australia’s basketball success:
The men’s rugby sevens semi-final line-up is complete, and it looks like this:
England v New Zealand
South Africa v Fiji
The matches will be played tomorrow, with the England game due to start at 11.43am local time, or 2.43am GMT.
Here’s what the medal table looks like at the end of it all:
And that completes today’s Commonwealth Games action! In all 41 gold medals have been decided today, by some margin the medallest day of the Games.
Scotland score a point! Jamie Farndale goes over in the corner just after the hooter sounds, and the conversion attempt drifts wide, making the final score 26-5.
Justin Geduld converts his own try, so it’s 26-0. South Africa won their first two pool matches 43-0 and 52-0 and still haven’t let their opponents score a point.
It’s now South Africa 24-0 Scotland in the rugby sevens, with just a couple of minutes to play.
Gold for Australia in the men's hockey!
It’s all over at the Hockey Centre, and Australia have completed a 2-0 victory over New Zealand to take another gold! In today’s medal matches in the hockey England played and beat India twice to claim two bronzes, and Australia played New Zealand twice, ending with a gold and a silver.
In the rugby sevens, it’s half time in the final pool match, a winner-takes-all encounter between South Africa and Scotland. And Scotland have it all to do, trailing as they do 7-0.
Australia are given a penalty stroke, and Mark Knowles, the captain, has the chance to all but win gold – and he thwacks his shot high and wide! Five minutes and one second remain, and the score is still 2-0.
The players come out for the fourth and final period of the men’s hockey final. Australia still lead New Zealand 2-0.
Gold for Australia in the women's basketball
To nobody’s great surprise, Australia have won gold in the women’s basketball. England did, however, keep them below 100 points for the first time in this competition. Not by much, though: the final score was 99-55.
Gold for Australia's Domonic Bedggood in the men's 10m platform diving!
Dixon gets 67.20, and the silver medal! Canada’s Vincent Riendeau claims bronze.
Um, maybe! He’s slightly over-rotated. What will the judges say?
Matthew Dixon steps up. The last dive of the competition. He needs 68.90 to win. His dive has a 3.2 degree of difficulty. Can he?
Domonic Bedggood’s final dive, with a 3.6 degree of difficulty, is not perfect – but it is very good. Had he nailed it, England’s Matthew Dixon, given the complexity of his final dive, would have been unable to overhaul him. As it is, though, there is a gold medal up for grabs. Can the Plymouth-born 17-year-old grab it?
England’s Matthew Dixon has leapfrogged Domonic Bedggood and taken the lead in the diving, with one dive remaining! His lead is less then two points, with Canada’s Vincent Riendeau a further 22 points or so behind.
In the rugby, Fiji have beaten Wales 21-17 to claim top spot in Pool D and qualify for the semi-finals. Three of the four spots have now been claimed, with South Africa playing Scotland for the last just as soon as Papua New Guinea’s game against Malaysia is completed (they’re still in the first half, with PNG 5-0 up).
Just three gold medals are still to be awarded today, and the hosts could win all of them:
- Women’s basketball (though Australia lead England 66-39 and only their winning margin remains to be decided).
- Men’s 10m platform diving (Australia’s Domonic Bedggood remains in the lead)
- Men’s hockey (Australia lead New Zealand 2-0, with the second period just finished)
After two rounds of the men’s 10m platform final, Australia’s Domonic Bedggood is out on his own in first place and absolutely on fire (fortunately he keeps jumping into a swimming pool, thereby putting himself out).
The men’s hockey gold medal match is ongoing, and Australia have just taken a 2-0 lead over New Zealand, with a couple of minutes of the second period remaining.
Gold for England in the men's doubles table tennis
A few minutes ago Paul Drinkhall and Liam Pitchford won gold in the men’s doubles table tennis, coming back from 2-1 down to beat Sharath Achanta and Sathiyan Gnanasekaran of India 3-2. India did win bronze in the same event, and earlier Manika Batra secured gold for the in the women’s singles. Pitchford, meanwhile, will go for a second gold tomorrow, in the mixed doubles.
India's @sharathkamal & @sathiyantt (IND) win 🥈 after falling short in the Men's Doubles 🏓 Final.
— Ultimate TableTennis (@UltTableTennis) April 14, 2018
They couldn't overcome the English Duo of Liam Pitchford/Paul Drinkhall as they lost 5-11,12-10,11-9,6-11,8-11.#UpTheGame #ShareTheDream #SilverLining #GC2018TableTennis
The run of badminton bronze medal matches have slipped under the radar, but in summary: Malaysia took third place in the men’s doubles, India in the women’s doubles. Kirsty Gilmour won bronze for Scotland in the women’s singles, and England’s Rajiv Ouseph got the medal in the men’s. The Mixed doubles bronze medal match, the last of the day, is ongoing, between Malaysia and India (Ashwini Ponnappa, who won bronze in the women’s doubles, is back on court). Malaysia took the first game 21-19, and lead 7-6 in the second as I type.
Gold for Frazer Clarke in the boxing!
The 201st and final boxing bout of the Games is over, and by a unanimous points decision Burton’s Frazer Clarke takes super-heavyweight gold after three fine and close rounds against India’s Satish Kumar. England had seven boxing finalists today, and have won six golds (Northern Ireland weren’t involved in this fight but had a contrasting experience over the final day, turning six finals into six silvers).
Here’s Cambage reacting to her ejection, with a top-notch quizzical “you-what?” expression followed by a smiling farewell wave to the crowd.
The Cambage ejection is something of a basketballing sensation. General consensus seems to be that it was somewhere between harsh and inexplicable, but here’s an attempt to explain it:
For those wondering on Liz Cambage ejection. She got unsportsmanlike foul then later a technical foul. When you get both in same game it means you automatically, immediately are ejected (kicked out). Looked a soft USF IMO, don't know what she said for a tech #GC2018basketball
— Roy Ward (@rpjward) April 14, 2018
New Zealand have just become the second team to qualify for the rugby semi-finals: they needed to beat Canada in their final pool game, and have done so by the emphatic score of 33-7.
Drama in the basketball, where Australia lead England 49-31 at half time but are without their star player, the giant Liz Cambage, who has been ejected for abusing the referee. “She mouthed off to the ref, got ejected, then walked down the tunnel giving the crowd a big two handed wave with a big grin on her face,” writes my colleague Mike Hytner.
Drama for the Opals!
— 7CommGames (@7CommGames) April 14, 2018
🇦🇺@ecambage gets EJECTED from the game after arguing with the ref#GC2018 #7CommGames pic.twitter.com/iQB0zbko8E
At the Optus Aquatic Centre, the final diving event of the Games is about to get under way: the men’s 10m platform final. The preliminary event, which happened in the very early hours of this morning UK time, ended with England’s Matthew Dixon and Noah Williams in first and second, and they will thus go last in the final.
Gold for Sammy Lee and Vikas Krishan
Back to the boxing: Vikas Krishan of India won the men’s 75kg, and then Sammy Lee from Swansea takes the men’s 81kg. There is now but one match to go today, the men’s +91kg final, between England’s Frazer Clarke and India’s Satish Kumar.
Australia lead 26-10 after the first quarter, and have been extremely impressive so far. Australia’s results in this competition to date: 113-53, 100-61, 118-55 (against England) and 109-50.
Australia and England are also playing in the women’s basketball gold medal game, which has just started. Australia lead 7-6 as I type, and in the 6ft 7in Elizabeth Cambage have a player who absolutely dwarfs everyone else involved.
England have finished Pool B with 26-17 victory over Australia to qualify for the rugby sevens semi-finals at the expense of the hosts. The three other semi-finalists remain to be decided, with the pool matches continuing over the next couple of hours.
What a performance!
— England Rugby (@EnglandRugby) April 14, 2018
England Men have qualified for the semi-finals after beating hosts Australia in their last Pool B match at the Robina Stadium. #GC2018 pic.twitter.com/jGHmy0ddLt
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Gold for Canada's Jennifer Abel in the women's 3m springboard
The day’s first diving final ends with Canada’s Jennifer Abel pipping Australia’s Maddison Keeney by a wafer-thin 0.4 points, with another Australian in Anabelle Smith 30 points behind in third. Between them Canada and Australia hoovered up the top five spots.
The men’s hockey bronze medal match is over, and as in the women’s event England have beaten India. This was an altogether closer affair, though, with Sam Ward scoring twice in a 2-1 win.
New Zealand have won silver in the women’s basketball, beating Canada 74-58. The gold medal game, between Australia and England, starts in 10 minutes or so.
Gold for England's Pat McCormack!
It’s a clear and unanimous victory for McCormack against a subdued Walsh, who like his sister ends up with silver.
Gold for Australia in the squash mixed doubles
Elsewhere in the Oxenford Studios, the final squash match of the day was won by Australia’s Dnna Urquhart and Cameron Pilley, who defeated India’s Dapika Pallikal Karthik and Saurav Ghosal 2-0.
Gold for England's Peter McGrail
Catching up on a bit of boxing, England’s Peter McGrail beat Northern Ireland’s Kurt Walter in the men’s 56kg final bout, and next up is the men’s 69kg final, featuring Aidan Walsh – whose sister Michaela was distraught to come second to Sky Nicolson in the women’s 57kg final an hour and a half ago – and England’s Pat McCormack, whose twin brother Luke won bronze yesterday in the 64kg.
India have equalised in the hockey, and it’s now 1-1 with three minutes of the second period to go.
Gold for Lauren Price of Wales!
The latest boxing final – the women’s 75kg – ends with success for Lauren Price, who used to play football for Wales and has just won boxing gold for them. Australia’s Caitlin Parker has to make do with silver.
Earlier today England’s women thrashed India 6-0 in the women’s hockey bronze medal match. The men’s hockey bronze medal match is in progress now, and again it’s India against England. The English are winning this one too, but it’s only 1-0 with 12 minutes of the second period remaining.
The women’s 3m springboard diving final is under way, and after the first round Australia’s Esther Qin is in the lead, with Canada’s Jen Abel and Pam Ware second and third, and England’s Alicia Blagg fourth.
Gold for England's Sandy Ryan!
Another split decision, and Derby’s Sandy Ryan has beaten Rosie Eccles of Wales in the women’s 69kg final. Six more golds will be handed out at Oxenford Studios inside the next couple of hours, so hold on to your hats.
Boxing gold for Skye Nicolson
Michaela Walsh of Northern Ireland thought she’d won it, and it couldn’t be closer – all five judges have it at 29-28, two favouring Walsh – but Skye Nicolson takes it! Nicolson is from the Gold Coast, and the decision is deliriously received, but Walsh is on the floor. It’s her second successive Commonwealth Games silver, and she doesn’t look happy to get it.
The first squash bronze medal match is over, and New Zealand’s Joelle King and Paul Coll have bulldozed England’s Alison Waters and Daryl Selby, by two games to love. A few hours ago Selby and Adrian Waller won their all-English men’s doubles semi-final, so he’ll have another chance of a medal tomorrow.
Australia will play England in the netball gold medal match! The Australians have just completed a comprehensive thrashing of New Zealand in their semi-final, 65-44.
Australia are screaming their way to the netball gold medal match, leading New Zealand as they do by a pleasingly round 50-30 after three quarters.
The first of a run of badminton bronze medal matches has been won by Malaysia’s Goh Shem and Tan Wee Kiong, who beat Sachin Dias and Buwaneka Goonethilleka of Sri Lanka 2-0.
In approximately 90 seconds England’s Daryl Selby and Alison Waters go for squash bronze, against New Zealand’s Joelle King and Paul Coll. While we wait, here’s some squash-flavoured reading:
And here’s the Press Association on England’s netball win. At world and Commonwealth level England had lost 17 of their last 18 semi-finals, which explains their excitement at this success.
England’s netballers reached a first Commonwealth Games final in the most dramatic of circumstances as Jo Harten netted a last-gasp goal to seal a 56-55 comeback victory over Jamaica.
Eight-time Olympic champion Usain Bolt watched on as 6ft 5in goal shooter Jhaniele Fowler-Reid’s inspired shooting propelled Jamaica into a formidable six-goal half-time lead.
Tracey Neville’s side chipped away at the deficit, with Helen Housby shooting well and Geva Mentor and Eboni Beckford-Chambers in defence forcing Fowler-Reid into rare missed shots. She missed three in the whole game, scoring 47.
Housby netted to level at 50-50 with six minutes remaining, but England needed to keep up the intensity.
Jamaica levelled at 55-all with 25 seconds remaining. England used the clock, Housby missed, but Harten kept her composure to spark jubilant celebrations.
After semi-final defeats in all five previous editions of the Commonwealth Games in which netball has been included, with three bronze medals, England finally have a shot at gold.
“What a comeback for our girls,” Neville, a Commonwealth bronze medallist in 1998, said. “I just said to them now: as a player I only dreamed to be in this situation, but I was never good enough. It’s great to live my dream through these and they’ve just done so well.”
Tracey Neville talks about England’s netball semi-final triumph:
We come out really sluggish, we didn’t take the game to them. But, do you know what, the way they come through it, I’m so proud of them. I’m really emotional. They’re such a hard-working team. We always knew we’d need 12 players to beat this opposition, and it was which players could make an impact and chug back at the Jamaicans. We decided we needed a little bit more height and a bit more experience, and oh my god, they were amazing.
The second netball semi-final, between Australia and New Zealand, is in the second quarter. Australia lead 24-17.
Hello! Simon Burnton here, having just taken the baton from Richard Parkin. Still to come today:
- A load of badminton bronze medals will be decided: men’s, women’s and mixed doubles, and men’s and women’s singles.
- The women’s basketball medals are up for grabs: New Zealand and Canada go for bronze, and then it’s Australia v England for gold.
- Eight – count ‘em – boxing golds will be handed out, with the finals featuring four English fighters, three from each of Northern Ireland and Wales, two Indians, two Australians.
- The women’s 3m springboard and men’s 10m platform finals in the diving.
- All the men’s medals in the hockey will be decided, as well as the mixed doubles squash.
- Women’s singles and men’s doubles table tennis medals will be handed out.
- The top men’s freestyle 86kg wrestlers will win medals. Or not.
- Plus a load of rugby sevens pool matches.
Gold for Botswana in the men's 4x400m
It’s Botswana first, Bahamas second and Jamaica, storming through on the home straight, third.
Well, we’ve got one last track event for the day, but like the Australian men’s 4x400m relay team I’m hereby disqualifying myself in controversial circumstances and literally throwing the baton over to the more than capable hands of Simon Burnton over in the UK.
Thanks for your company today, it’s been jam-packed action for most of the day so if you’re just waking now take the chance to scroll back through the morning’s events.
But it’s goodbye from the Australia desk, as England, buoyed by their remarkable netball and relay teams, takes over!
Into the final leg, and five teams are within touching distance. Botswana, though, are in the lead.
Meanwhile, the men’s 4x400m final, the last track event of the Games, has just started.
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England qualify for the netball gold medal match
After an absolute thriller against Jamaica, a semi-final in which England started the final quarter four goals down, Tracey Neville’s side storm through to win!
And I’ve had a whisper from elsewhere, there’s one heck of a result that’s just come through in the netball!
We’re at the semi-final stage, and our two pairings are England v Jamaica and Australia v New Zealand.
England and Jamaica are ranked third and fourth in the world respectively, but it’s been an impressive group stage showing from Tracey Neville’s women as they cruised through five wins, unscathed.
Still, they were facing one of the absolute powerhouse shooters of world netball, Jhaniele Fowler-Reid, and to keep her quiet would be some effort.
It started 15-all at the end of the first quarter before Jamaica powered away to lead by six at half-time. England pulled two points back in the third stanza with Helen Housby leading the way.
Fowler-Reid was shooting at a remarkable 94% and finished the game with 47/50, but a heroic effort in the fourth quarter saw England grab it at the buzzer, 13-8 in the fourth quarter as Jamaica faded for a nerve-jangling 56-55 win!
They’re through to the final, England, where either Australia or New Zealand await! Phwoar, that’s a result.
Updated
Women's 4x400m relay final – gold to Jamaica!
Okay, it’s Australia, Scotland, Botswana, India, Nigeria, England, Uganda, Jamaica to choose from, with the smart money apparently backing Jamaica, England and Nigeria here. Can the English continue their relay dominance? Let’s find out.
And we’re off! It’s Nigeria with a storming first leg but she’s starting to fade, England also looks to have started well, as did Australia’s Anneliese Rubie.
It’s Nigeria and Jamaica, with Australia, England and Botswana closing on the second leg. A bit of niggle on the third changeover as Jamaica moves to the lead. It’s Wells for Australia in third but she’s facing a challenge from England in fourth.
Jamaica pulling away from Nigeria, those two are running clear from the field.
England’s final runner is fading a touch, with Botswana’s final runner moving home at pace, we’ve got a real battle for third!
It’s Jamaica gold, Nigeria silver, and Botswana third! What a power final leg from Amantle Montsho – the individual 400m champion – to grab the medal for the south African nation!
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Around the grounds
Okay, so as I mentioned earlier, there’s been a fair bit happening today – let’s go for a quick runaround and see what else has gone down.
We’ve a gold for New Zealand in the men’s 91kg boxing, where David Nyika has defeated Australian Jason Whateley. Probably the Jacinda Ardern effect at work there too.
Guyana’s Troy Doris has just bagged the gold in the men’s triple jump! What a hot hour this has been for less-heralded nations from the Caribbean (and upper South America)!
He’s beaten out Dominica’s Yordanys Garcia, with Cameroon’s Marcel Mayack II grabbing bronze in an incredibly tight affair. 16.88m; 16.86m and 16.80m the winning marks. It’s a game of millimetres is the ol’ triple jump.
There’s a stack more happening, but crikey, if we’re not heading back to the track, because we’ve got women’s 4x400m relay action to take in. I’m bleeding from the fingers here. There really is a LOT going down this afternoon!
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A new anthem! Saint Lucia win gold in women's high jump!
Well, if ‘Namibia, Land of the Brave’ left you wanting more, strap yourself in because ladies and gentlemen – for the very first time in Commonwealth Games history we’re about to hear ‘Sons and Daughters of Saint Lucia’!
A terrific performance from the veteran Levern Spencer – she missed her very first jump at 1.80m but ten jumps later has sailed over 1.95m to deliver the tiny Caribbean nation its first ever gold medal!
England’s Morgan Lake pushed her all the way, clearing 1.93m for the silver, with Australia’s Nicola McDermott’s mark of 1.91m – a personal best – enough to grab the bronze. Canada fourth and Antigua and Barbuda fifth.
I wonder what their anthem’s like. There’s been no love so far on the podium front in nine Commonwealth appearances, but maybe they can take inspiration from tiny Saint Lucia?
Updated
Men's 1500m final – Kenya gold!
Okay, we’re back on track. And again it’s Kenya who will look to lead the way in the men’s 1500m.
The battle once again could be for the minor medals – with bronze or perhaps even silver very much up for grabs, but it will take something amazing to catch either Elijah Manangoi or Timothy Cheruiyot.
Local hope Ryan Gregson could benefit from a parochial home crowd, but watch Scotland’s Chris O’Hare as well.
We’re underway, it seems reasonably quick, the three Kenyans move to the head, but bronze medallist in the 800m Australia’s Luke Matthews looks to take his share of the pacemaking.
Two laps to go and it’s Gregson well-placed on the should of the Kenyans, Scotland’s Jake Wightman also there or there abouts.
We head for the bell, and the pace kicks up. Manangoi and Cheruiyot are off, Kumari Taki can’t stay with them. Here comes Wightman, he powers past Taki and onto the tail of the two Kenyans.
Manangoi kicks again; he’s got just enough – and Cheruiyot can’t match it!
It’s Kenya one-two once more, but what a barnstorming finish from Wightman for bronze! England’s Grice takes fourth with India’s Jinson Johnson in fifth, with Gregson fading. A cracking finish though!
We’ve got men’s triple jump underway and we’re getting to the pointy end in the women’s high jump, but a reminder for all those New Zealanders coming home from shift work or wireless-free deck parties, anxious to see how their women’s hockey team got on:
Well, it was a 4-1 shellacking of overwhelming favourites Australia, in the New Zealand royal family was there in attendance to take it all in.
Okay, not technical royalty, but PM Jacinda Ardern, ‘first man’ Clarke Gayford and ‘first baby’ (not pictured) must have rubbed some of their sparkle off as the Black Sticks put on an absolute showing. A great result – watch again later tonight as these two rivals square off once more in the men’s gold medal match.
Gold for India – men's javelin!
And while track was taking centre stage, field was hotting up in the men’s javelin.
We touched earlier with local hope Hamish Peacock starting strongly. I should have waited a few more throws, because India’s Neeraj Chopra then came out and threw a 85.50m to open! Cripes.
He’s got the boyish good looks of a Bollywood star and the pace on the runway of a fast bowler, and he’s got the local crowd eating from his hand. He is launching himself with every throw, as he strains to pack as much power as conceivable into his throw he ends up almost with a front cartwheel; I don’t know the technical merit of this, but sheesh it’s effective.
Grenada’s Anderson Peters has launched a 82.20m thunderbolt with his second effort. Will he be the man to reel in Chopra?
Peacock fires his fourth effort; and the crowd responds! Terrific consistency with all four throws between 75-81m, but this one goes better – 82.59m and he moves into silver medal position.
And as if to respond instantly, look at this from Chopra. It flies, he flies – and it’s beyond the gold medal best. 86.47m – they won’t be beating this!
India gold, Australia silver, Grenada bronze. He’s got an arm like a traction engine!
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Back to track – women’s 5000m final
I’ll not lie to you, good people of the Commonwealth, it’s a cracking pace we’re setting on day 10. It feels almost like that high school essay you leave until the night before, because they are really cramming in the events up here on the GC today.
I’ll have updates for you shortly from table tennis and shooting where more golds have dropped, and also where we’re at in the various field events, but now: women’s 5000m.
We’ve just got underway, which by my reckoning gives me about 14 minutes to make up some stats for you.
Okay, the daylight favourite here is Kenya’s Hellen Obiri, who learned track devotees will recall is our 2017 World Champion and 2016 Rio Games silver medallist.
It’s a gentle pace set over the first few laps which might play into the Kenyan’s hands. Also a medal prospect is Obiri’s compatriot Margaret Kipkemboi, with Scotland’s duo of Eilish McColgan and Steph Twell also in the mix. Eloise Wellings is the best of the locals and one of only five runners here who has dropped a sub-15 previously.
We’re around 2km in and it’s a slow pace thus far, projected to be c.16 minutes, but I imagine it will come down as we get to the business end. It’s the three Kenyans leading, with Twell and two Australians at the head of it.
There’s a slight break now with those six opening up with four more on the tail and an athlete from New Zealand attempting to bridge the gap. Our medals should come from these 11. Five laps to go.
And here’s our first significant acceleration – and it’s the two Kenyans, Kipkemboi and Obiri who have put distance between themselves and the chasing field. They’re rotating the pace-making, and it’s difficult to see who has the better form.
Uganda’s Juliet Chekwel has made a dash from the back to move into bronze medal position with two laps to go. England’s Laura Weightman has moved into fourth, Australia’s Celia Sullohern also there with Wellings and Eva Cherono also a threat for bronze. So we’ve two races within races – who gets gold; and who gets bronze.
We’ve about 300m to run, and here goes Obiri! She kicks again, and this time Kipkemboi can’t match her! It’s a Kenyan one-two, but what a storming finish here from Weightman. She’s come from the clouds for the bronze.
Kenya, Kenya, England for the medals!
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And if you love a new anthem – run over to the Oxenford Studios right now where the brass band is banging out Namibia’s ditty, because the man called Jonas (twice) has done it! A brave showing from the Canadian Blumenfeld, such mental toughness and resilience in the face of frankly, a pounding, but he settles for silver in the men’s 64kg category.
And having waited 12 years to hear that anthem I can happily report – it’s not a banger.
Why can’t we have Finland at the Commonwealth Games? He knew how to get the toes tapping did ol’ Sibelius.. Still, a happy mixup from Advance Australia Fair.
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Our roving correspondent Mike Hytner has been taking in all today’s action live from the Gold Coast, sloping around with a keen eye and hat marked ‘press’ – here’s his view of the cycling road race (the rumble in Currumbin?) and the infamous upset at the Hockeydome:
Treat yourself and take a read, I hear it’s a big f*cking deal.
Fun fact o’clock – if you thought it a surprise that England would do the double over Jamaica in the 4x100m relays, then let us take a cursory walk down history lane.
2014 Glasgow Games – Jamaica double. 2010 Delhi Games – England double. 2006 Melbourne Games? Jamaica double.
So, there’s no doing these things by halves it seems, as the pendulum swings back to England in this remarkable two-horse relay race history.
Women's 4x100m final – gold for England!
So it’s Jamaica, Australia, Ghana, Cameroon, England, Nigeria, The Bahamas and Trinidad and Tobago to choose from.
Some sprint royalty here, but Jamaica find themselves with the unlikely draw of lane 1, given there were no qualifiers for this event and thus a random draw. Will it hamper Elaine Thompson and friends?
We’re underway, Asher-Smith powering England away, Jamaica really off the pace early on, we’ve got a baton drop, I think it was Australia, Jamaica with a power of work to do here – they turn for the fourth leg and it’s the sprint queen vs the long jumper, Thompson v Ugen, she’s catching, she’s powering, the stadium holds it’s breath.. but England survive!
Gold to England, silver to Jamaica and bronze to Nigeria, daylight fourth as Australia stumble on fourth change! England go the double! Remarkable.
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Men’s javelin & women’s high jump
A fine opening throw from Australian Hamish Peacock; not quite the dramatic entrance we saw from Kathryn Mitchell who came and destroyed the entire field with her first Games record effort in the women’s competition. Still, a very tidy mark of 75.95m to get us underway.
We’ve also got women’s high jump happening, where the bar has started at 1.60m. A lovely clearance from Swaziland’s Nonhlanhla Seyama at 1.65m among others as we power through the early stages. Many still sitting out and awaiting a higher bar.
We’re back to the track for now though, as we prepare for the women’s 4x100m final. Stand by.
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Men's 4x100m relay – gold for England!
First medal to be determined on the track today as Jamaica looks to seek amends for that 100m upset by South Africa.
They’re out quickly but there’s a baton drop on the second leg, was it Nigeria?
Australia and England are right in the mix here, but it’s a very fast finish from South Africa and Jamaica. It was England and Australia one-two on the home straight but look at this final leg from Simbine and also Blake. They’ve mowed Josh Clarke down for second, will they catch England?!
They hold on! England grab gold, South Africa silver, Jamaica bronze, and Australia fourth! Simbine has beaten Blake again, wowee.
Redemption for Zharnel Hughes – disqualified after seemingly winning gold in the 200m – but he’s got his Commonwealth gold. What a finish!
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Boxing golds – top three fire again!
We’ve got live results coming in from the men’s boxing as well, where once more it’s the podium nations that are dominating.
Australian Harry Garside has continued his fine run winning gold for the host nation in the men’s 60kg division over India’s Manish Kaushik, India then turning table with gold in the men’s 52kg for Gaurav Solanki, before England returned the favour, relegating India to silver in the men’s <49kg with Galal Yafai emerging triumphant.
We’re just in time to see my boy Jonas Jonas (see yesterday) of Namibia trade blows with Canada’s Thomas Blumenfeld. Can he win his nation’s first Games medal since Melbourne 2006?
He’s got a height and reach advantage on the Canadian, and pound for pound he looks the stronger; but you can’t fault the tenacity of Blumenfeld; he’s got a welt across his left eye but he continues to come at his taller opponent.
We’ve just finished the second round, and Blumenfeld has been deducted a point for losing his mouthguard mid-bout for the third time. Was it deliberate, to snatch a breather? Who could say. Seems a bizarre way to lose if this one ends up going down to the wire.
We’ll revisit this, as the track and field has begun over at Carrara Stadium.
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Hockey upset – New Zealand claim gold medal match!
Well if you’re just joining us, there’s an absolute boilover unfolding in the women’s hockey – we’re deep in the fourth quarter and it appears that New Zealand are cruising home to an emphatic win over hosts Australia, it’s 4-1!
Australia you’ll remember were yet to concede even a goal throughout their entire campaign, but it’s the Black Sticks who have blown them away with a goal in the second quarter, and two more in the third to run out to a commanding lead.
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern watches from the stand about to witness New Zealand claim their first ever Commonwealth gold; don’t forget the Australian team have won this event at three consecutive Games; in fact you’d have to go back to 2002 for the last time anyone beat them!
Shiloh Gloyn got the opener with around 28 minutes played, before a fine reverse tomahawk off the floor from Rose Keddell made it 2-0 as Australia failed to clear their lines following a penalty corner.
Olivia Merry stretched the advantage to three with another strike from a penalty corner, before Australia threw caution to the wind in a dramatic last quarter, employing a fly keeper for NINE minutes as they chased the remarkable. Glasgow topscorer Jodie Henry pulled one back, but it wasn’t to be.
A well-deserved victory to New Zealand – will that inspire their men’s team who lock horns with Australia once more later today? Phwoar, imagine that.
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Morning medals roundup – top three add to their hauls
It’s been a strong morning for the nations already astride the podium with Australia, England and India grabbing the golds on offer.
In the women’s cycling road race it was a terrific team performance from Australia whose six riders set and controlled the pace for most of the 112km course at Currumbin to allow Chloe Hosking to grab the gold ahead of New Zealand’s Georgia Williams and Wales’ Danielle Rowe. Hosking acknowledged the support of her team in a pretty honest and raw interview post race:
"It's so special to win on home soil ... I'm Commonwealth Games champion and it's a big f---ing deal."
— 7CommGames (@7CommGames) April 14, 2018
You won't hear a better interview than this.
A truly golden 🥇 performance from 🇦🇺 @chloe_hosking and the 🇦🇺 Australian riders. pic.twitter.com/ADbWaMn2lR
There’s been shooting gold for England as David Luckman has won the Queen’s Prize Individual ahead of compatriot Parag Patel with the bronze and Australian Jim Bailey taking silver.
Look, I’ll level with you entirely here, I have no idea how that event works – shooting aficionados feel free to set me straight on that front via email or twitter; if you’re not learning, you’re not living.
The women’s boxing gold medal bouts are underway and local favourite Anja Stridsman has delighted the home fans at packed into the Oxenford Studios, with an unanimous victory in the women’s 60kg division. England’s Lisa Whiteside and India’s Mery Kom have also been victorious in the 51kg and <48kg divisions, with Northern Ireland settling for a brace of silvers.
But to live action now, and uhoh – we’ve got something special unfolding in the hockey.
Welcome to day 10!
Selamat datang, namaste, jambo! It’s the penultimate day of events in the Gold Coast and we’ve still plenty in store.
If you missed last night, there was a very unexpected celebration of one of Australia’s lawn bowlers went ‘beast mode’, Katarina Johnson-Thompson conquered fatigue to back up her Birmingham exploits and women’s rugby sevens kicked off in fine fettle.
Coming up
Here’s what’s still to come on day 10. Remember, all times are local – the Gold Coast is GMT +10:00 and EST +14:00.
We’ve got a busy day-programme of athletics today, with women’s high jump leaping into action from 2.25pm (local), men’s javelin and triple jump, 4x100m relays, and women’s 5000m. From about 4pm it’s the men’s 1500m and then we’re into 4x400m relays – so an absolute bumper session with nine gold on the line.
We’ve got England v Jamaica in the netball semi-final from 3pm, and men’s trap shooting shortly thereafter, there’s medals in the table tennis and wrestling and then around 5pm a ding-dong in the netball as perennial rivals Australia and New Zealand duke it out.
There are medals up for grabs in the badminton, more rugby sevens action – I hope you’ve told family you’re at work and work you’re hanging out with family, because today is going to require some serious concentration!
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