Best of GC2018: Day 5
9 Apr 2018
The record-breaking, history-making moments continued on a medal-filled day of competition at GC2018, with 33 gold medals awarded.
In the pool, Australia continued its Swimming domination and on the track, eight champions were crowned, including Trinidad and Tobago’s first gold medal since 1998. Vanuatu and the Cook Islands won their first-ever Commonwealth Games medals, courtesy of their talented athletes in Athletics and Lawn Bowls.
These are just a few of the highlights of Day Five.
Sport Snapshot
Champions crowned, history made at Carrara Stadium
Winning the women’s 100m final, Michelle-Lee Ahye became the first woman from Trinidad and Tobago to win 100m Commonwealth Games gold and the nation’s first gold medallist since Ato Bolden won the men’s 100m race in 1998.
In the men’s 100m final, Akani Simbine won gold in a time of 10:03 seconds. It marks the first time in 20 years that an athlete from a Caribbean country has not held the title of the Commonwealth’s fastest man. Henricho Bruintjies, also from South Africa, won silver, followed by Yohan Blake to take the bronze.
New Zealand’s Tom Walsh added Commonwealth champion to his world indoor and outdoor titles, winning gold in 21.41m. Walsh couldn’t quite match his 22.45m throw from the qualification round, but got the job done.
Australia’s Evan O’Hanlon won gold in the men’s T38 100m final in 11.09, spectacularly falling after he crossed the finish line. “I think I overstepped my ability a little bit there and ended up on the ground,” he said.
Cook Islands bowls into the record books
The Cook Islands won its first medal in Commonwealth Games history when Aidan Zittersteijn and Taiki Paniani won bronze in the Lawn Bowls men’s pairs competition.
All it took, according to Zittersteijn, was a little mojo. “We started off good then we really got our rhythm – we call it mojo – and we were set. We played well,” he said.
In other Lawn Bowls news, Australia broke their 12-year gold medal droughtand won the women’s fours with a 18-16 victory against South Africa.
Weightlifting wraps up in dramatic fashion
The weightlifting drama continued to unfold all the way through to the final day of competition.
New Zealand’s Laurel Hubbard was the favourite heading into the women’s +90kg competition, but had to withdraw when she injured her arm on the final snatch. Despite her disappointment, Hubbard said she had “no regrets” about her time at the Games.
18-year-old Eileen Cikamatana won gold for Fiji in the women’s 90kg category and in the women’s +90kg. Samoa’s Sanele Mao lifted a personal best total of 360kg to win gold over the Indian favourite Pardeep Singh in the men’s 105kg class and New Zealand’s David Liti won gold in the men’s +105kg class
The Australian swim team’s golden night
It was an incredible night for the Aussies in the pool, winning four of the nine gold medals up for grabs and 15 of the total 27. Mitch Larkin became the first backstroker to complete the 50/100/200m treble when he won the 200m backstroke final. Australians Bradley Woodward and Josh Beaver won silver and bronze for a clean sweep of the medals.
In the 800m final, breakout star of the Australian trials, Ariarne Titmus, got her first individual gold in the 800m. Australia also swept the medals, with Jessica Ashwood taking silver and Kiah Melverton takes bronze.
After finishing second to sister Cate in the 50m freestyle on Saturday night, Bronte Campbell joked to Channel 7 that it would be nice if the roles were reversed occasionally. Tonight, it happened! Bronte Campbell out-touched her sister Cate for gold in the 100m, with Cate winning silver and 17-year-old Taylor Ruck winning her seventh medal of the Games. Ruck has won a medal in every event she has competed in so far, with the Women’s 4 x 100m Medley Relay still to come.
Adding to the golden night, Matthew Levy won the men’s S7 50m freestyle final.
Also in the pool, England’s Ben Proud broke his own Commonwealth Games record – again – in the semifinal of the men’s 50m freestyle. The new Games record is 21.30 and he’ll have a chance to lower it in the final on Tuesday 10 April.
South Africa’s Chad le Clos completed his own clean sweep of the men’s butterfly events, overtaking Australia’s Susie O’Neill and becoming the most decorated athlete in Commonwealth Games history.
Comeback queen Joelle King wins Squash gold
New Zealand’s Joelle King won New Zealand’s first individual Squash gold medal. After beating eight-time world champion Nicol David to earn a place in the gold medal match, she defeated England’s Sarah-Jane Perry 3-2 to secure the title.
Friana Kwevira launches Vanuatu into the history books
Vanuatu’s Friana Kwevira won bronze in the women’s F46 javelin throw, securing her country’s first ever Commonwealth Games medal. The 24-year-old’s effort means Vanuatu joined the Cook Islands and Solomon Islands in winning their maiden Games medals at GC2018.
Photos of the Day
What You Might Have Missed
Lawn Bowls legend turns Games Shaper
When the Australian women’s fours won their long-awaited gold, they had an extra special witness. The only other fours team to have won gold for Australia was the 1990 Auckland Games team. Incredibly, one of those players, Daphne Shaw, was working as a volunteer at Broadbeach Bowls Club and witnessed her team’s achievements being matched. Serendipitous, indeed!
The Titmus family celebration
The family of 18-year-old swimmer Ariarne Titmus have brought on all the feels during GC2018 Swimming. Her dad made headlines when Ariarne – also known as ‘the Terminator’ – won silver in the women’s 200m final. She got her gold medal in the women’s 800m, dedicating the win to her grandparents. The celebrations of her parents and grandparents captivated the hearts of the Commonwealth. “That’s for my nan and pa,” Titmus said. “They’re my mum’s parents. They came from Budapest and they’re so excited to be here and it’s great to have them watching.”
Quotes of the Day
We have our meals together, we are in the same apartment, so there is a bit of trash talk. Matches like this bring the best out in each other.”
– Canada’s Samantha Cornett on rival and fellow Canadian Nikki Todd, her roommate and opponent in the classic plate women’s Squash final.
With food. I’ve been looking at the brownies all week, so probably that”
– English Artistic Gymnast Alice Kinsella on how she’s going to celebrate after winning gold in the balance beam.
I have one shot of espresso before every race. That is definitely a lot of my energy, and definitely the energy in here buzzes me up a little bit”
– Canadian swimmer Taylor Ruck on where she’s getting her energy on, winning a medal in all seven events she has competed in so far.
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