Usain Bolt started on a winning note on an action-packed day six of the athletic events of the Commonwealth Games at Hampden Park on Saturday.
Olympic champion Sally Pearson (Australia) put behind a tough week to race home on top in the 100m hurdles in 12.67s quite comfortably ahead of Tifany Porter, 12.80s, and Angela Whyte (Canada), 13.02s. She had been embroiled in a controversy through the last few days involving the Australian head coach Eric Hollingsworth leading to the suspension of the latter and his accreditation at the Games revoked.
Likewise, World champion Eunice Jepkoech Sum (Kenya) had little difficulty as she added the women’s 800m gold to her kitty. The 25-year-old led from start to finish and won in 2:00.31 ahead of Lynsey Sharp (Scotland), who with a late burst pushed Winnie Nanyondo (Uganda) to the third place. Sharp was timed at 2:01.34 and Nanyonda, 2:01.38.
Eleanor Patterson gave Australia its third gold medal of the session as she won the women’s high jump clearing a season’s best of 1.94. Isobel Pooley (England) was second with a personal best of 1.92m and Levern Spencer (Saint Lucia), who also had jumped 1.92m for the bronze.
Kipsoro’s third goldMoses Kipsoro won his third Games gold as he successfully defended the men’s 1000m edging out Josphat Kipkoech Bett (Kenya) in a photo finish. Kipsoro was timed at 27:56.11 to 27:56.14 turned in by Bett. Canada’s Camron Levins was third in 27:56.23.
However, the Kenyans turned in another 1-2-3 in the 3000m steeplechase as Jonathan Ndiku hit the winning post with a new Games record time of 8:10.44 and Jairus Birech (8:12.68) and Ezekiel Kemboi (8:19.73) followed in that order.
And there was double celebration for England as Steven Lewis won gold in the pole vault (5.55m). However, he was engaged in a count back with compatriot Luke Cutts before emerging the winner. Shawnacy Barber (Canada) won bronze with 5.45m.
Australia’s Dani Samuels won the women’s discus.
