GLASGOW: Olympic champions Kirani James and Greg Rutherford brought world-class performances to the Commonwealth Games on Wednesday night.
James, won the men’s 400m to give Grenada its first Commonwealth Games gold and became the first man to win gold in the discipline at both Olympic and Commonwealth level.
“I am happy for my country and everyone affiliated to us,” said 21-year-old James who took gold ahead of Wayde van Niekerk of South Africa and Trinidad’s Lalonde Gordon. “The crowd are fantastic, they cancel out the weather,” James added.
England’s Rutherford, 27, backed up his Olympic long jump gold in 2012 with the Commonwealth title.
His leap of 8.20m was enough to defeat South Africa’s Zarck Visser by eight centimetres with Rushwahl Samaai, also of South Africa, taking bronze.
“It’s never an easy road and after last year I never thought I would win a medal,” said Rutherford.
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 through Brianne Theisen-Eaton and Jessica Zelinka.
New Zealand’s Valerie Adams once again showcased her unbeatable shot put 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 medallist Kim Mickle threw a Games record of 65.96m to win the women’s javelin, a perfect boost after the country’s 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, qualifying for yesterday night’s final in a cool gun-to-tape semi-final victory.
“I ran from the front and controlled the race,” said the Kenyan who set the world record when winning in London 2012.
Earlier on Wednesday, Jamaica’s Warren Weir, the 200m favourite in the absence of Jamaican compatriot Bolt, cruised through his heat in a comfortable time of 20.71 seconds.
Also qualifying for yesterday’s semi-finals were Daniel Bailey of Antigua and South African Wayde van Niekerk.
In gymnastics, England’s Max Whitlock won the men’s individual all-around final while compatriot Claudia Fragapane led an English one-two-three in the women’s event. Whitlock, 21, scored well on all six pieces of apparatus to win the men’s final with a superb score of 90.631.
Olympic bronze medallist Beth Tweddle was all praises for him.
“It is incredible scoring from Max and he really stole the show today,” Tweddle said.
“He wanted to nail the 90 score and that was the big
thing for him ahead of the
World Championships. He has such great flair and style and there is such a sense of relief when you nail those routines.”
AGENCIES
