Sad end for Aussies as relays fall flat
THE image of Mel Breen face down on the Carrara Stadium track summed up Australia’s relay woes this afternoon, and it wasn’t the only thing that went wrong in a disappointing end to the athletics campaign.
Athletics
Four in the running for flag bearing honour
WHEELCHAIR hero Kurt Fearnley will vie with swimming superstars Mitch Larkin and the Campbell sisters for the honour of carrying the Australian flag at the closing ceremony farewell party for the Commonwealth Games on Sunday night.
‘She’s more than just a dance’
NO Sally Pearson but Michelle Jenneke has delivered a brave effort to finish fourth in the 100m hurdles. Meanwhile, Bendigo bowler Aaron Wilson kickstarted a party and continued a team tradition by tearing his shirt off after winning gold.
‘Political stuff’ forces exhausted Jenneke to take break
“EXHAUSTED from it all”: Michelle Jenneke will take a break from hurdling after admitting that things behind the scenes are starting to get to her.
Fearnley to give everything to Aussie farewell
Having lived a lifetime of beating odds and expectations, Kurt Fearnley has promised one more enormous effort in his last appearance in an Australian team.
Semenya turns negativity into historic double
CASTER Semenya raced effortlessly into Commonwealth Games history last night, leaving athletics bosses with the tough decision of how much further they will allow her to run.
Cruel twist shatters men’s relay dream
AUSTRALIA has been sensationally disqualified in the 4x400m relay after a mistake by Steve Solomon during the final changeover.
No stopping Mitchell with Tokyo in sight
ENJOYING the growth and success in her thirties she had expected in her twenties, Aussie javelin gold medallist Kathryn Mitchell says there are no plans to stop any time soon.
Local boy Marschall ‘does a Hooker’ to take gold
SOUTH Australia’s Kurtis Marschall has followed in the footsteps of his idol Steve Hooker to claim gold in the pole vault.
Thor struck by power of lightning Bolt
HOLLYWOOD heart-throb Chris Hemsworth has admitted to feeling star struck as he watched the athletics with sprint legend Usain Bolt, describing the experience as the “highlight of my year”.
Stripped of gold! High drama in crazy 200m final
IN ONE of the most bizarre finishes to a sprint race ever seen, England’s Zharnel Hughes was halfway through his victory lap before he was sensationally stripped of the gold medal for impeding another athlete.
Mum knows best: Mathews earns 800m bronze
LUKE Mathews dedicated his surprise 800m bronze medal to his mother Liz, who has resurrected his career over the past nine months.
Stevens smashes record to leave rivals in a spin
Australian discus thrower Dani Stevens is eyeing Olympic gold after smashing her opponents the Commonwealth Games record at Carrara to win by almost eight metres.
The most emotional gold medal of the Games
HURDLER Kyron McMaster paid tribute to his coach, who tragically died in Hurricane Irma, as he broke through to become the British Virgin Islands’ first ever Commonwealth Games gold medallist.
Marschall ‘does a Hooker’ to take gold
AUSTRALIA’S Kurtis Marschall has followed in the footsteps of his idol Steve Hooker to claim gold in the pole vault.
Brooke bounces back but falls agonisingly short
BROOKE Stratton’s brave campaign to rebound from fractures in both feet finished in tears and 7cm short of a Commonwealth Games long jump gold medal.
‘You think I’m joking’: Bolt plans next career move
WITH the Commonwealth Games giving Usain Bolt “goosebumps” and “the urge to compete”, the world’s fastest man says he wants to return to top-level sport — but not sprinting.
Jiggling Jenneke tone it down? No way
MICHELLE Jenneke has produced her best time in more than a year to make the final of the 100m hurdles with fellow Aussie Brianna Beahan also qualifying.
“It’s a fricken kicker!” Heartache for Beaudesert Bullet
IN a race which echoed to the big footsteps beside her, Queensland teen Riley Day last night felt a “a punch in the guts’’ when she missed the Commonwealth Games 200m final by just .01sec.
‘How bloody good’: Brandon is Starc of the show
GIVING Australians a tag for him other than “brother of Mitch’’, Brandon Starc produced a career best performance to secure high jump gold on a night it rained medals at the athletics stadium.
Starc jumps out of brother’s shadow
AUSSIE high jumper Brandon Starc has leapt out of the shadow of Test cricketer brother Mitchell, soaring to the Commonwealth Games high jump gold medal on Wednesday night.
Lightning Holt lights up the track
TEENAGE para-athletics superstar Isis Holt has lived up to her nickname by adding Commonwealth Games gold to her expanding CV of sprint titles, as Australia had more success at Carrara.
Denny in line to hammer history
DARLING Downs thrower Queenslander Matthew Denny will aim to become the first man since 1938 to win a medal in the hammer throw and discus at the same Commonwealth Games.
‘F…ing awesome’: Mitchell spears record
IT was fourth time lucky for Aussie Kathryn Mitchell who smashed the Commonwealth Games javelin throw record on her way to a much-deserved gold medal.
South Africa a new track super power?
WHEN South Africans Akani Simbine and Henricho Bruinjies finished one-two in the men’s 100m on Monday night all the talk was about Jamaican Johan Blake’s shock third placing.
Track athletes win the partying awards
WHILE the swimmers might dominate the medal tally, Tamsyn Lewis has revealed it’s the track and field athletes who know how to party.
‘I can go all night’: Athletes hit Tinder
FIT, toned and high-energy athletes are going for Commonwealth Games gold on and off the field, flooding Tinder in search of romance, with revealing photos and boasts about having the ability to “go all night long”.
No stopping Semenya in 1500m
CASTER Semenya has sealed the first of her planned two Commonwealth Games gold medals, charging home to win the 1500m by a stunning 15 metres.
Fearnley delivers interview of the Games
EVERYTHING we have loved about Kurt Fearnley for more than a decade was on full display at the Commonwealth Games but it was what he said post-race that struck a chord with us all.
Superhero Larkin takes down swim legend Thorpe
IN the 2018 Commonwealth Games, superman of the pool Mitch Larkin has medals falling out of his pockets and even managed to do something the great Ian Thorpe never did.
Hulley handles the step up
SHE’S the most dominant junior hammer thrower in Australian history and now Alexandra Hulley is a Commonwealth Games silver medallist.
Day sprints out of Beaudesert and into semi
WITH legs shaking from nerves, boom Queensland sprinter Riley Day has negotiated her first individual senior race for Australia — but a bigger moment awaits.
Out of nowhere, Aussie jumper smashes Games record
INJURY-prone long jumper Henry Frayne has produced the performance of his life in qualifying, breaking the Commonwealth Games record. We wrap the morning athletics here…
Bolt forgives Yohan as South Africans steal show
YOHAN Blake won’t be going back to Jamaica any time soon given his failure to fulfil Usain Bolt’s orders to deliver Jamaica the 100m Commonwealth title.
Massive selection gamble on Deng pays off
BORN in a Kenyan refugee camp to a South Sudanese mother, Joseph Deng says he’s proud of the Australian colours he wears, as he prepares for the Commonwealth Games 800m final.
Sportsmanship at its best: Aussie girls’ classy gesture
AUSTRALIA’S 10,000m trio finished unplaced in the gruelling track event, but their stunning act of sportsmanship following the race toward the last place-getter didn’t go unnoticed.
‘She’s No.1 now’: Little sis steps out of Cate’s shadow
HER jaw dropped. Her face froze. Not even Bronte Campbell could believe what she had done. For the first time in three years she had beaten her decorated sister Cate in the 100m freestyle.
Future hangs in the balance for dominant Semenya
CASTER Semenya last night impressively started her Gold Coast assault on another slice of athletics history, but is running into an uncertain future.
Games traffic fears put to the test
FORGET public transport, if you want to get to the Gold Coast quickly for your Games event, driving is the clear winner. Our journalists tried out all modes of transport from Brisbane to Carrara, and even cycling technically proved faster than the train.
Evan’s almighty mo steals the show
AUSSIE para sprinter Evan O’Hanlon has set Carrara Stadium alight with his win in the T38 100 metres final. But his performance was overshadowed by the gold medal-worthy moustache he was sporting, and it even has its own Twitter account.
McGowan slams Semenya comparison
AUSSIE 800m runner Brittany McGowan has sensationally slammed having her times compared to the blistering speed of controversial South African star Caster Semenya.
Huge praise as Games embraces the para-normal
THE integration of para athletes onto the main billing at the Commonwealth Games has been more than vindicated by the athletes’ performances and the reaction of crowds, making para-normal the infectious new vibe on the Gold Coast.
Brownlee brothers’ brush with ‘Borobi’
BRITISH triathletes Jonny and Alistair Brownlee have taken their chances with a real-life Borobi as they soak up a little Gold Coast culture, but despite the “amazing experience”, there’s one thing they hope they don’t have to explain when they get home after their encounter.
Triathlete strikes gold with the ultimate lady magnet
FORGET diamonds, it’s clear that on the appropriately named Gold Coast, gold is a girl’s best friend, as triumphant triathlete Matthew Hauser discovered on a night out in Surfers Paradise.
Calm before the storm: Athletes ready to party
IT’S been a slow start to the Games as far as the partying scene is concerned, but clubs on the glitter strip say it’s the calm before the storm as athletes near the end of competition.
Swimmers reign supreme, cycling has its mojo back
NO Big Tuna, no big deal. Cold stricken champion Kyle Chalmers may have suffered a shock loss but a rousing pool rally and Australian cycling’s wheels of thunder made it a night to savour.
The most heartbreaking moment of the Games
AUSTRALIA has experienced another Jane Saville moment with Claire Tallent disqualified in sight of gold in the women’s 20km walk. Watching her sob on the pavement as others went by was gut wrenching to see.
Inside Australian cycling’s rebuild
FROM banning phones at dinner to putting a rubber duck in the ice bath, training in a heat chamber and poaching key staff from Great Britain — Australian cycling is fast rebuilding from the rubble that was left after the last Olympics.
Javelin a sharp test for Dubler’s injury
BRISBANE’S decathlon medal contender Cedric Dubler has not trained in the javelin for seven weeks, which should raise concerns for cameramen everywhere.
First step Comm Games, next step the worlds
THE Gold Coast is set to use the Commonwealth Games as a springboard to launch a bold bid for one of the biggest dates on the world athletics calendar.
Persistence pays for hammer throwing farm boy
IN his first two state throwing events Queensland farm boy Matt Denny finished last, but on Sunday the 21-year-old showed the power of persistence to win his first open international medal.
Why Aussie golden boy is on cloud canine
WHEN Dane Bird-Smith was struggling to find a reliable training partner, man’s best friend delivered. But of all the dogs to choose to match the gold medal-winning walker’s pace, you’d think “Rocky” would have been the last one he’d choose.
Australia’s fastest man had eyes for NRL
BACKED by John Steffensen to medal on in the Commonwealth Games, Australia’s fastest man Trae Williams admits he does sometimes wonder about his decision to run from a possible NRL career.
Sorry I broke your nose, can we be friends?
AUSTRALIA’S Francois Etoundi broke a fellow weightlighter’s nose four years ago, now he wants to make peace. Injured Indian athletes are in trouble, Missile’s bizarre gold celebration and a hell of a black eye this Welsh athlete. QUIRKY MOMENTS.
Birtwhistle and Co. ensure more bragging rights over Poms
HAVING secured the 2017 world and now 2018 Commonwealth titles, Jake Birtwhistle has declared Australia the new standard-bearer for mixed team relay after a dominant gold medal display.
Birdman charts his flight path on gold pursuit
DANE Bird-Smith will have the depth of first-hand knowledge of a course which normally falls to golf greats like Greg Norman and Tiger Woods when he strives to win Australia’s first 20km walk gold on Sunday.
Will Pearson injury put sponsors off?
SALLY Pearson’s shock withdrawal from the Commonwealth Games comes at an awkward time for the hurdles champion who is looking to breath life into sponsor talks that had stalled of late.
The inside story of Sally’s Games heartbreak
THE early warning signs we should have seen and the brave face in a time of true grief at the opening ceremony – the full story behind Sally Pearson’s Commonwealth Games withdrawal.
What’s next for golden girl Sally?
SALLY Pearson must be increasingly flexible about her training schedules if she hopes to bounce back from her Gold Coast disappointment at the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games.
‘Bad, shocking, terrible’: True cost of Sally loss
THE news sent shockwaves around our loungeroom.“Sally Pearson has just called a media conference,” said an obviously stunned triathlon commentator Dave Culbert.
Smile and focus on the athletes
THERE were fashion disasters, grating television hosts but nothing beats the look of wonderment and joy on every athlete’s face as they enter the stadium, writes Mike Colman.
Amy’s plan to overcome double games heartache
SHE was forced to pull out of the Commonwealth Games with a knee injury after missing the London Olympics due to a brain tumour, but devastated high jumper Amy Pejkovic is already formulating a plan to be ready for the Tokyo Olympics.
Pearson in Paradise ahead of Games
SALLY Pearson took things easy on the Gold Coast this morning as she continues to manage her fitness ahead of her home Commonwealth Games.
Shirvington: ‘It does come up from time to time’
IT is the image of Matt Shirvington competing in lycra at the Commonwealth Games in 1998 Aussies can’t erase from their minds, and the former sprinter grudgingly admits it regularly overshadows his impressive on-track achievements.
No flag but a main Pearson role likely
COMMENT: Even if she’d been from Goulburn or Geelong, Sally Pearson would have been the best choice to lead Australia’s athletes into the Gold Coast Commonwealth Games.
Knowles to restore pride to Australian sport
SALLY Pearson has been pipped for the honour of carrying the Australian flag at Wednesday night’s Opening Ceremony of the Commonwealth Games in favour of hockey legend Mark Knowles.
Pearson should be given the honour of carrying the flag
AUSSIE sporting greats have pleaded for hometown hero Sally Pearson to be handed the honour of carrying the nation’s flag into Wednesday’s opening ceremony.
Home town girl aiming for nation’s first gold
THERE is a familiarity surrounding Ashleigh Gentle’s push to become Australia’s first Gold Coast Commonwealth Games gold medal winner.
Pearson in for long haul despite achilles issue
A WORRIED Sally Pearson says she will be able to confront whatever her Commonwealth Games fitness fate is, realising that her management of an achilles problem can only go so far.
Tortured Morgan leaves behind crying in her car
AUSTRALIA’S track and field glamour girl Morgan Mitchell reveals the hidden pain which has haunted her Commonwealth Games preparation.
A walk in the park for supermum Claire
IT’S THE little things that have helped Claire Tallent walk her way to the Commonwealth Games less than a year after becoming a first-time mum.
Our brand new Day of Games glory
RILEY Day knows she has a date with the devil. It will be sitting on her young shoulders as she steps up to the blocks in the 200m sprint in front of more than 35,000 hometown fans in her first Commonwealth Games.
Rubie doubles her strength for Comm Games gold shot
FOR Australian athlete Anneliese Rubie, switching from 400m to 800m seemed crazy enough to work.
Cathy’s pride sparked Arthur’s flag ban
CATHY Freeman and her coach Nic Bideau hatched their plan for one of the most controversial moments in Commonwealth Games history at the breakfast table.
‘We need you, Sally! Heroes are hard to find’
WITH Australia embroiled in a sporting armageddon, Hollywood superstar and Rabbitohs owner Russell Crowe sees a saviour on the horizon. Enter Sally Pearson! And she’s up for the challenge.
Blake bolts clear to be next sprint king
FORMER world champion Yohan Blake said he is ready to “take over’’ world men’s sprinting after cruising to a win in Brisbane in his last race before the Commonwealth Games.
How to get your exclusive Comm Games pin
ONLY 7 days to go! Get into the Games spirit with limited edition Gold Coast 2018 Official Borobi Pin Collection, available via the token in The Courier-Mail from Wednesday, April 4. Pin your hopes on the Aussies and collect all five!
Must-watch Comm Games showdowns
THEY are here! Some of the best athletes from around the world have hit the Gold Coast for the Commonwealth Games. Before things officially kick off, check out some of the biggest head-to-head battles we can’t wait for.
Blake ready for lift-off
JAMAICAN sprint star Yohan Blake remembers the day he ran the second fastest 100m time in history as like being “a plane taking off’’.
Kurt Fearnley’s unforgettable Delhi debut
THE heat and craziness of Delhi in 2010 holds a special place in the heart of wheelchair champion Kurt Fearnley.
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