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Commonwealth Games 2018 Day 9 live coverage: Caster Semenya secures 800m-1500m double

South African barely broke a sweat adding 800m gold to 1500m title. But new rules mean it could be the last time we see her.

South Africa's Caster Semenya celebrates after winning the women's 800m final. Photo: AP
South Africa's Caster Semenya celebrates after winning the women's 800m final. Photo: AP
33 min read
11:28PMApril 13, 2018

Welcome to live coverage of Day 9 of the 2018 Commonwealth Games from the Gold Coast. Today’s full schedule of Aussie competitors is here.

11.20pm: Kookaburras into gold medal match

Australia will take on New Zealand for the gold medal in men’s hockey tomorrow after the Kookaburras scored a thrilling 2-1 win over England tonight.

It took just 26 seconds for the gold medal favourites to go ahead 1-0 through a Trent Mitton goal ... but after that early blow, the Kookaburras were forced to work harder than they have this tournament to earn the victory.

England got back on level terms in the 37th minute through Ian Sloan, before Mitton restored the Kookaburras’ lead midway through the final quarter.

Despite being reduced to eight players late in the match, the Kookaburras held on and will be hot favourites to send captain and Australian team flagbearer Mark Knowles into retirement with a gold medal around his neck.

10.35pm: Opals into gold medal match

Australia will play England for Commonwealth Games gold in women’s basketball after defeating New Zealand 109-50 in tonight’s semi-final.

Liz Cambage led all scorers with 21 points for the Opals, while Cayla George was a factor as she added 18 points, including a perfect 4-4 from long range.

The playoff for gold will be on Saturday night, Australia looking to replicate their triumph from 2006, the only other time basketball has been in the Commonwealth Games.

— AAP

Daniel Sankey 10.18pm: Jenneke just misses medals

Australia’s Michelle Jenneke just missed a medal in the Sally Pearson-less women’s 100m hurdles final, with Nigeria’s Oluwatobiloba Amusan (12.68 seconds) winning gold from the Jamaican pair of Danielle Williams (12.78) and Yanique Thompson (12.97).

Jenneke, running in the inside lane, beat the field out and led for the first 50m before Amusan and the Jamaicans took control.

Jenneke (13.07) held on for fourth, just outbobbing another Australian, Brianna Beahan (13.11), who finished fifth.

Daniel Sankey 10.10pm: Laugher wins third gold, Aussies bronzed

England’s Jack Laugher has won his third gold medal of the Commonwealth Games diving program, combining with Chris Mears to win the men’s 3m synchronised springboard.

The England pair led throughout, finishing with a total of 436.17 to win by more than 20 points.

Canada’s Philippe Gagne and Francois Imbeau-Dulac (415.23) took silver from Australia’s Domonic Bedggood and Matthew Carter (408.12) ... but the night once again belonged to Laugher, who earlier this week won the individual 1m and 3m springboard titles.

9.56pm: Kennedy wins pole vault bronze

Australia’s former world junior champion Nina Kennedy has won bronze in the women’s pole vault, clearing 4.60m to secure her place on the podium.

Kennedy successfully cleared five successive heights at her first attempt between 4.30m and 4.60m to be leading the competition.

However, she was unable to clear 4.65m, leaving Canada’s Alysha Newman and New Zealand’s Eliza McCartney to fight it out for the gold medal.

After missing two attempts at 4.70m, Newman raised the bar to 4.75m and was successful to take the lead. After one miss at 4.75m, McCartney raised the bar to 4.80m and but missed twice and was forced to settle for silver.

Australia’s pole vault bronze medallist Nina Kennedy enjoys the moment. Photo: AAP
Australia’s pole vault bronze medallist Nina Kennedy enjoys the moment. Photo: AAP

9.43pm: Adams settles for silver

Kiwi shot put legend Dame Valerie Adams has been forced to settle for Commonwealth Games silver after her first-up heave of 18.70 metres proved insufficient to hold off Jamaican Danniel Thomas-Dodd.

Adams nailed a season-best throw with her first heave and sat equal-first until the fifth throw, when Thomas-Dodd threw a whopping 19.36m.

The 33-year-old Adams ultimately couldn’t make up the distance, claiming silver after three consecutive Games golds in 2006, 2010 and 2014.

Canadian Brittany Crew was third with 18.32m.

Jamaican shot put gold medallist Danniel Thomas-Dodd (left) celebrates with New Zealand’s silver medallist, Valerie Adams. Photo: Getty Images
Jamaican shot put gold medallist Danniel Thomas-Dodd (left) celebrates with New Zealand’s silver medallist, Valerie Adams. Photo: Getty Images

— AAP

9.15pm: Aussies on track for gold match

Australia are off to the perfect start in their women’s basketball semi-final against New Zealand, racing to a 25-12 lead at the end of the first.

8.51pm: Aussies hold off Old Enemy in Sevens

Ellia Green has produced the magic moment as Australia survived a huge English scare to emerge unbeaten on the opening night of women’s rugby sevens’ Commonwealth Games debut.

The Olympic champions looked out of sorts when trailing 12-5 to England, before Green pulled off a zig-zagging 60m run to cross under the posts and level at half-time.

From there the nerveless host nation won the big moments in the second-half to score three unanswered tries to escape with a 29-12 win.

Earlier, Australia blitzed Wales 34-5 to open their campaign in near-perfect fashion.

Australia dominated from the first minute with an Emma Tonegato try and powered to a 22-0 half-time lead before Wales slowed their charge after the break. Tim Walsh’s team made history in Sydney earlier this year by becoming the first team to win a World Series leg without conceding a point, scoring 231-0 against all-comers over the weekend.

That performance, on the back of a gold in the sport’s Olympic debut in Rio, has the side clear favourites to add another title on the Gold Coast this weekend. And they did what was needed at Robina Stadium today, assuring a Sunday semi-final spot, ahead of their final pool game against Fiji on Saturday.

A slick New Zealand shape as Australia’s greatest threat, shining on day one with dominant victories against minnows Kenya (45-0) and South Africa (41-0).

— AAP

Brent Read 8.50pm: Semenya secures track double

Caster Semenya barely broke a sweat on her way to smashing the Games record in the 800 metres at the Commonwealth Games.

The South African superstar led the entire way as she added the 800m to the 1500m gold she won earlier on the Gold Coast. Try as they might, the rest of the field couldn’t get close.

She crossed the finish line with 10 metres to spare, and celebrated by flexing her muscles and brushing her shoulders. She shook hands with her vanquished opponents, acknowledged the crowd and found a South African flag that she draped over her shoulders as she posed for the cameras. She savoured the moment, with good reason too.

But Semenya’s dominance may be on borrowed time. The IAAF is planning to bring in guidelines to limit testosterone at some stage this year. Semenya will likely have a choice — take medication to reduce her testosterone levels or retire from the sport.

If she does decide to walk away, not everyone will miss her. Australian 800m runner Brittany McGowan, who missed out on tonight’s final, claimed it was unfair to compare the times of other athletes with Semenya. She operates in a different stratosphere.

8.30pm: Memorable day for squash star Urquhart

She appeared dead and buried early today but Australian squash star Donna Urquhart is well and truly alive in the Commonwealth Games after a memorable day in the doubles.

Urquhart and Rachael Grinham won 22 of the final 26 points to record an extraordinary comeback win over Wales and move into the semi-finals of the women’s doubles in her first match of the day.

Australia’s No.1 female then combined with cousin Cameron Pilley to fight back from one set down against England to move into a gold medal match against India in the mixed event.

But it was Urquhart’s first match where the host nation rose to life on a dramatic day.

Already down one set, the Australian pair were behind 9-1 in the second when they launched a mighty recovery to win 9-11 11-10 11-3 at Oxenford Studios.

They next meet New Zealand duo Joelle King and Amanda Landers-Murphy in the final four tomorrow, where Grinham will hope to keep her dream of a third Commonwealth gold alive.

The 41-year-old Grinham wasn’t the only Australian veteran to enjoy success today, with two-time gold-medallist David Palmer also progressing in the men’s doubles with Zac Alexander.

The pair beat New Zealand twosome Paul Coll and Campbell Grayson 11-9 6-11 11-7 to set up a semi-final against the Scottish team of Alan Clyne and Greg Lobban. The news wasn’t so great for Ryan Cuskelly and Pilley, who were knocked out by the England combination of Daryl Selby and Adrian Waller 9-11 11-8 11-10 in a 75-minute marathon.

8.18pm: Sheehan wins 1m springboard silver

Australia’s Georgia Sheehan has won 1m springboard silver and teammate Esther Qin bronze at the Gold Coast Commonwealth Games.

Scotland’s Grace Reid claimed gold with 275.30 points ahead of Sheehan (264pts) and Qin (252.95pts).

Australia’s world 1m champion Maddison Keeney pulled out of the event due to injury.

— AAP

Daniel Sankey 8pm: Kipruto leaves McAvaney speechless

Commentator Bruce McAvaney thought he had seen it all in a celebrated career behind the microphone ... but Kenyan superstar Conseslus Kipruto left him lost for words with his gold medal-winning performance in the men’s 3000m steeplechase.

Kipruto spent much of the final lap of the race urging on his Kenyan teammates, Abraham Kibiwott and Amos Kirui, as they attempted to secure a Kenyan clean sweep of the medals.

With Canada’s Matthew Hughes pressuring the Kenyans all the way, Kipruto threw his arms in the air repeatedly as he encouraged his temmates to lift in the closing stages.

“This is the weirdest thing. And we’ve seen some weird things. If (this was) the stewards at Royal Randwick tomorrow, they’d be saying ‘what are you doing Hughie Bowman, you can’t be doing this!’,” McAvaney said on Channel 7 as Kipruto continued gesturing in the home straight.

“He looks back, he can’t believe they’re not going to be one-two-three. Look at him. Oh he’s a cheeky boy, he really is. He’s the world, Olympic, Commonwealth champion. He’s got the full set.”

For once, McAvaney would be wrong ... Kirui surged in the final 20m to steal the bronze medal from a brave Hughes, leaving the three Kenyans to celebrate their clean sweep.

Kenya's 3000m steeplechase medallist (from left) Abraham Kibiwott (silver), Conseslus Kipruto (gold) and Amos Kirui (bronze) celebrate with their national flag . Photo: AP
Kenya's 3000m steeplechase medallist (from left) Abraham Kibiwott (silver), Conseslus Kipruto (gold) and Amos Kirui (bronze) celebrate with their national flag . Photo: AP

7.10pm: GOLD! Wilson wins bowls singles

Aaron Wilson of Australia made an extraordinary recovery from a slow start to beat Canada’s Ryan Bester 21-14 in the men’s singles lawn bowls final at the Commonwealth Games.

A shirtless Aaron Wilson celebrates his lawn bowls gold medal. Photo: Getty Images
A shirtless Aaron Wilson celebrates his lawn bowls gold medal. Photo: Getty Images

Bester came out of the blocks hard today, at one point opening up a 7-2 lead, but Wilson bowled a near-perfect game from then on.

Upon claiming the gold, Wilson did a victory lap like none seen at a major lawn bowls tournament for more than a decade, ripping off his shirt and throwing it into the crowd before hugging coaches and celebrating with fans.

It was reminiscent of Kelvin Kerkow’s gold medal celebration at the 2006 Commonwealth Games in Melbourne ... and Wilson was quick to acknowledge the Aussie lawn bowls legend.

“Yeah, just in the moment — Kelvin Kerkow ripped his shirt off a few years back, back in 2006, so I thought I might copy suit there,” Wilson said.

Australia’s men’s fours won a silver medal earlier in the day, going down 15-13 after leading for the majority of the match.

— AAP

7.09pm: Boxer Nicolson to go for gold

Local girl Skye Nicolson is one win away from a boxing gold medal at the Commonwealth Games after claiming a hard-fought semi-final victory in the 57kg division.

Nicolson, the sister of late 1990 Commonwealth Games medallist Jamie Nicolson, defeated Canada’s Sabrina Aubin-Boucher by split decision in front of a hometown crowd at Gold Coast’s Oxenford Studios on Friday.

Nicolson will face European champion Michaela Walsh of Northern Ireland in tomorrow night’s final.

Australia's Skye Nicolson (left) grapples with Canada's Sabrina Aubin-Boucher during their women's 57kg semi-final boxing match. Photo: AFP
Australia's Skye Nicolson (left) grapples with Canada's Sabrina Aubin-Boucher during their women's 57kg semi-final boxing match. Photo: AFP

— AAP

Brent Read 6.45pm: Track and field tales

Steve Solomon came from the clouds in the 400m relay at Carrara Stadium today. Solomon, running the final leg of the first heat, took the baton from Josh Ralph a good 10m behind the three front runners.

Solomon wasn’t giving up. By the time they hit the final turn, Solomon was breathing down their necks. Down the straight he reeled in Bahamian Ramon Miller. In commentary, Bruce McAveney suggested Solomon had run out of his skin.

Sadly for the home nation, he also ran out of order. Australia’s delight quickly turned to despair when the 400 metre relay team was disqualified under rule 17-0-20 — exchanging positions before takeover.

Solomon was adjudged to have incorrectly moved ahead of Michael Cedenio from Trinidad and Tobago prior to the final handover. Replays suggested Cedenio knew something was askew. As he and Solomon waited for the baton, he gave the Australian a nudge.

Solomon stood his ground, took the baton from Ralph, put his foot on the gas and for a moment ran Australia into the 400m relay final. The elation was short-lived.

Australian Athletic officials launched an appeal but it was to no avail on a bitter sweet morning for the men’s relay teams.

Hopes were high for the 100m relay team and they delivered, encountering few troubles as they cruised into the final having given South Africa a fright in their heat. The South African team boasted Akani Simbine and Henricho Bruintjies, gold and silver medallists in the 100m earlier in the Games.

Australia put the wind up them. Trae Williams, aka Quadzilla, made another of his lightning starts before Rohan Browning maintained the advantage. Jack Hale did his job as well before handing to Josh Clarke, who found himself with a slender lead over Olympic champion Simbine.

Steve Solomon begins his leg in Australia’s ill-fated 4x400m bid. Picture: AAP
Steve Solomon begins his leg in Australia’s ill-fated 4x400m bid. Picture: AAP

Hale started punching the air the moment he handed the baton on. Clarke couldn’t keep Simbine at bay but Australia (38.78s) qualified for the final with ease, setting up a rematch with the South Africans (31.71) with a gold medal at stake.

The Australian team bettered England (38.15) and a Jamaican (38.44) quartet anchored by Yohan Blake, who went one-two in the other heat.

Something special may be on the cards for the Australians. They have hopes beyond the relay as well, most notably in the men’s javelin where Hamish Peacock qualified with the biggest throw of the heats

The 27-year-old Glasgow Games bronze medallist hurled the javelin 81.22m at his third attempt, just under a metre further than Pakistan’s Arshad Nadeem.

The Tasmanian could afford to relax as the competition wore on - his first two attempts gave him reason to believe something bigger was on the way.

“I felt I was sitting pretty safe, so it wasn’t a great deal of pressure, even though my first two throws were not quite there,” Peacock said.

Peacock, whose younger brother Huw also competed in Glasgow, began by throwing cricket balls a long way before graduating to the javelin.

He is now on the cusp of a Commonwealth Games medal, although he conceded he needed to increase the intensity in the final.

“I’m feeling good, but I will need to get the intensity up as it’s not quite where I need to be,” he said. “In the final I will need to go all out and be psychologically focused.”

6.20pm: Closing ceremony line-up revealed

A star-studded line-up of Australian performers has been unveiled for the Commonwealth Games closing ceremony including Dami Im, Guy Sebastian, The Veronicas, Yothu Yindi and Archie Roach.

The Carrara Stadium extravaganza will be a celebration of Games highs but also recognise the emotional departure of athletes and officials from the Gold Coast, signifying the end of competition for 2018, GOLDOC chairman Peter Beattie told reporters today.

The exchange of flags to 2022 Games host city Birmingham and the presentation of the David Dickson Award — to the athlete who competed with distinction and honour — will also form part of the Sunday night ceremony.

— AAP

Guy Sebastian will be a feature act at the closing ceremony. Picture: AAP
Guy Sebastian will be a feature act at the closing ceremony. Picture: AAP

5.55pm: Easy win for Sevens side

The Australian women’s rugby team have taken care of Wales 34-5 in their opening match in Pool B. The locals went to the break with a 22-0 lead and completed a comfortable win in the second half.

Next up is a match against England at 8.17pm. The medal matches will be held on Sunday afternoon.

5.35pm: Indians to fight expulsions

Indian officials will appeal the expulsion of two athletes from the Commonwealth Games after needles were found at the athletes’ village.

Triple jumper Rakesh Babu and race walker Irfan Thodi have been banned from the Games and ordered to return home immediately in the second needle incident involving the Indian team.

But officials say both athletes deny knowing where the needles came from. “We do not agree at all. We will discuss with higher authorities and we will appeal against the decision,” Indian chef de mission Vikram Sisodia said on Friday.

Sosodia said he has contacted the Indian Olympic Association in Delhi who will advise team officials on the Gold Coast how to proceed.

— AAP

5.15pm: Sevens heaven

Action in the women’s rugby has begun, with Canada opening proceedings by thumping South Africa 29-0 in the first pool game.

New Zealand complete a similarly one-sided Pool A demolition job on Kenya, winning 45-0.

Australia will play Wales in their opening game of Pool B at 5.37pm, and follow with a matchup against England at 8.17pm.

Wally Mason 4.50pm: Many happy returns

Laetisha Scanlan has won gold in the women’s trap finals at Belmont Shooting Centre with a Games record score of 38 from 50 targets.

Kirsty Barr of Northern Ireland claimed silver with a score of 37, while Wales’s Sarah Wixey secured bronze with 28.

Scanlan backed up her 2014 Games trap triumph on her 28th birthday after barely making it into the final. She survived a shoot-off with Kiwi rival and Rio Olympics silver medallist Natalie Rooney in the qualifying round.

“I don’t know why I make it so hard for myself,” a teary-eyed Scanlan told the crowd after sealing victory. Ecstatic fans capped off a memorable day by singing happy birthday to Scanlan.

The Australian hit eight targets to Rooney’s seven to reach the six-woman final.

Olympic gold medallist and world No.1 Catherine Skinner - one of only eight Australians to win gold in Rio - crashed out in qualifying.

4.20pm: Dutton warns missing athletes

If 11 international athletes missing from the Commonwealth Games village breach their visas, it could make it tougher for others to come to Australia to compete in future, organisers say.

A Rwandan para-powerlifting coach, two Ugandan athletes and eight members of Cameroon’s team are confirmed missing from the Gold Coast athlete’s village, some having failed to show for their Games events.

They are all on visas which expire on May 15 and Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton has issued a warning that anyone who breaches the deadline will be tracked down, locked up and deported.

“The compliance officers will be out there, I promise, tracking these people down and they’ll be deported as quickly as possible,” Mr Dutton said. Two Sierra Leonians and a Ghanaian were among those considered missing in action on Thursday but were not included in official numbers released by the Commonwealth Games Federation on Friday.

Peter Dutton says athletes who do not return will be tracked down. Picture: AAP
Peter Dutton says athletes who do not return will be tracked down. Picture: AAP

Gold Coast Commonwealth Games Organising Committee chair Peter Beattie again urged the unaccounted for Africans to abide by their visa conditions. “The Commonwealth Games Federation and us have to basically say people need to stick to their visa and we would urge people to do so,” he told reporters. “If we don’t then successive organisations, whether it is this event or rugby or rugby league, are going to have trouble with visas in the future because there will be a tougher stand taken.

“It’s either tough (to get a visa) up front or tough to enforce the visas that are given - that’s the challenge.”

Mr Beattie said visas issued to Gold Coast Games competitors were still valid for now and that if the athletes concerned left Australia in time it would become a matter for their own teams to consider why they departed the village in the first place.

— AAP

3.50pm: Epic Squash rally

Donna Urquhart and Rachael Grinham have won 22 of the final 26 points to record an extraordinary comeback win over Wales and move into the semi-finals of the squash doubles.

Already down one set on Friday, the Australian pair were behind 9-1 in the second when they launched a mighty recovery to win 9-11 11-10 11-3 at Oxenford Studios.

They next meet New Zealand duo Joelle King and Amanda Landers-Murphy in the final four on Saturday.

Later on Friday, Ryan Cuskelly and Cameron Pilley were knocked out of the men’s doubles by England twosome Daryl Selby and Adrian Waller 9-11 11-8 11-10 in a 75-minute marathon.

— AAP

3.20pm: Scots stage stunning comeback

Scotland have come from behind to snatch gold from Australia 15-13 in the men’s fours lawn bowls final.

The Scottish foursome of Ronald Duncan, Derek Oliver, Paul Foster and Alexander Marshall were down by as many as five points in the eighth end but a late flurry was enough to snag them the gold.

Once Scotland began their comeback the match was tense, with officials getting out the measuring tape on several occasions at Broadbeach.

Australia picked up a point on the second last end and took a 13-11 lead going into the final one.

But Scotland then picked up four points in the final end to take the gold and stun the hosts.

— AAP

2.55pm: Olympic champ stunned

Olympic trap champion Catherine Skinner has crashed out of qualifying for her pet event.

One of only eight Australians to win a gold medal at Rio 2016, world No.1 Skinner did not make the final cut of six for Friday’s women’s trap final in a major surprise at the Belmont Shooting Complex.

Skinner hit only 64 of her 90 targets, while fellow Australian - defending Commonwealth champion Laetisha Scanlan - barely scraped through to the final after winning a sudden-death shoot-off against New Zealand’s Natalie Rooney.

— AAP

It’s medal day in three events of the shooting competition. Picture: Getty
It’s medal day in three events of the shooting competition. Picture: Getty

2.30pm: Heartbreak for Aussie veteran

Gymnast Danielle Prince’s farewell international performance started well, in the ball competition of the rhythmic gymanstic discipline, but it ended in tears.

The 25-year-old had a pair of mishaps with the ball, sending it out of the mat area off her knees. She scored a 7.6 to finish in eighth place, well behind behind winner Diamanto Evripidou’s 13.8.

“It was incredibly emotional,” she said. “I think when you want something that badly, it’s that fine balance in our sport between pushing until you can’t go any more and then trying to keep it together as well.”

Prince realised her dream of competing at an Olympics in Rio two years ago, and she at least has a bronze medal to take home from the team event this week.

“My goal coming in to this event when I decided to keep going was to hopefully inspire the next generation of gymnasts and to prove that you can keep going into your late 20s and be successful,” Prince said this week,

“Winning a medal is icing on the cake.”

Danielle Prince reacts after dropping the ball during her rhythmic gymnastics ball final. Picture: AAP
Danielle Prince reacts after dropping the ball during her rhythmic gymnastics ball final. Picture: AAP
Prince is given a big ovation by fans after the competition. Picture: AAP
Prince is given a big ovation by fans after the competition. Picture: AAP

2.15pm: Golden moments

Cypriot prodigy Diamanto Evripidou’s domination of the rhythmic gymnastics has fallen just short of making her the most successful athlete at these Games.

Evripidou took her gold medal haul to four with victory in the individual hoop and ball finals, but hopes of eclipsing Australian swimmer Mitch Larkin’s haul of five gold medals were dashed on Friday.

The 18-year-old was eying a clean sweep of the apparatus finals, which would have taken her tally to six gold, fell short in the clubs and ribbon events at the Coomera Indoor Sports Centre.

The top-ranked qualifier across the board, Evripidou won silver in the ribbon behind Malaysia’s Amy Kwan and bronze on clubs behind Kwan and Canadian gold-medal winner Sophie Crane.

It capped off a remarkable week for the Games debutante, who also led Cyprus to team gold and won the all-around event.

Her four gold medals, silver and bronze puts her equal with another Australian swimmer, Emma McKeon, as the leading medallist at the Games. McKeon also won four gold, as well as two bronze, while Australian freestyle star Kyle Chalmers finished with four gold and a silver at the Gold Coast Aquatic Centre.

Evripidou was aiming to equal the record of Australia’s most successful medal winners at a single Games are Susie O’Neill (1998 Kuala Lumpur) and Ian Thorpe (2002 Manchester) who both won six gold.

LEADING 2018 GAMES MEDALLISTS

* Mitch Larkin (AUS, swimming) - Five gold (men’s 100m backstroke, 200m backstroke, 200m individual medley, 4x100m medley relay, 50m backstroke)

* Diamanto Evripidou (CYP, rhythmic gymnastics) - Four gold (individual all- around, hoop, ball, team), one silver, one bronze

* Emma McKeon (AUS, swimming) - Four gold (women’s butterfly, 4x100m freestyle, 4x100 medley, 4x200m freestyle), two bronze

* Kyle Chalmers (AUS, swimming) - Four gold (men’s 200m freestyle, 4x100m freestyle, 4x100m medley, 4x200m freestyle), one silver.

— AAP

Cyprus gymnast Diamanto Evripidou during the rhythmic discipline. Picture: Getty
Cyprus gymnast Diamanto Evripidou during the rhythmic discipline. Picture: Getty

1.55pm: Triple threat for Kenyan pair

National record holder Ryan Gregson is ready for whatever comes his way in Saturday’s 1500m final as he targets an overdue first medal at a major international meet.

The 27-year-old had a perfect hitout in the heats on Friday, easing through the field in the final half-lap to finish second behind Timothy Cheruiyot, the silver medallist at last year’ world championships.

Gregson clocked 3min 43.06sec and will be joined in the final by countrymen Jordy Williamsz and Luke Mathews, who was backing up on little sleep after claiming bronze in the 800m on Thursday night.

Gregson made a big breakthrough in 2016 when he became the first Australian man in 40 years to contest an Olympic 1500m final.

Now he wants more.

“I felt great,” he said. “I was within myself at the end and I could have gone a couple of seconds faster in the last 200 if I had to. I’m looking good.

“I’ll rest up and I could be a dark horse - who knows?”

The stacked field includes Kenyan duo Elijah Manangoi and Cheruiyot, who went 1-2 in the world championships final last year.

Gregson doesn’t expect them to make the same mistake they did at the Rio Olympics, when a ponderously slow race opened the way for American Matthew Centrowicz to win shock 1500m gold.

“I think it will be quick, it will be a pretty honest pace,” said the Australian. “I’m ready to race if it’s fast or if its slow, I’m ready for both scenarios.”

— AAP

Wayne Smith 1.25pm: Daley double

Ah, the irony of it. Four years ago English diving super Tom Daley and his tower synchronised partner pulled off a phenomenal final round dive only to be pipped for gold by the Australians, Matthew Mitcham and Dominic Bedggood. Today he and his new partner performed the same dive in mediocre fashion but it was good enough for the victory.

A mere .18 of a point separated the Australian and English pair at the Glasgow Commonwealth Games and it is little wonder that the defeat still stings Daley so badly. Over three successive Commonwealth Games, that is the only event — out of five so far — in which he had been forced to settle for a minor medal.

Ironically, it was the only Commonwealth gold of his career, although his win on the tower in Beijing is etched in memory while Daley, who is a celebrity back home in Britain is still hoping win his first Olympic gold after competing in London and Rio de Janeiro.

In Scotland, he and James Denny ripped their four and a half somersaults for an astonishing 95.46 to overtake the Malaysians and almost the Australians. Today and his new diving partner Daniel Goodfellow managed only 61.05 for the same dive — Daley, it must be said, landed it sweetly — but by then they had opened up such a lead that they could afford the middling scores. It took them to 405.81, overtaking Bedggood and 24-year-old Declan Stacey.

But the second English pair of 17-year-olds Matthew Dixon and Noah Williams had to dive yet and, as is the nature of youth, they seemed not to have grasped the fact that they had been cast as the support act. They had led after rounds three and four, but slipped back into second spot behind their more esteemed countrymen in the penultimate round. Still, the difference was only 19.50 points.

Their problem was, however, that their back two and a half somersault, one and a half twister dive carried only a degree of difficulty of 3.2. Even though they nailed it for 7.5’s and 8.0’s, the multiplication factor wasn’t quite big enough to push them in front of their teammates. They scored 399.91, not enough for the gold but just enough to grab them the silver with Bedggood and Stacey tipped into the bronze with 397.92.

Bedggood, born in Southport, could probably have spotted the hospital at which he was born 23 years ago had he climbed to the top of the diving tower. He still has his main event to come, the individual tower tomorrow, and on the evidence of today’s syncho event, he looks ready to improve in his seventh placing in the solo event at Glasgow.

1.10pm: England hamstrung

Australia aren’t the ones ruing an early exit in the men’s 4x400m relay. England’s campaign ended just seconds into the first heat, when lead-off runner Matthew Hudson-Smith pulled up short with a hamstring injury.

It allowed Botswana, Kenya and Fiji to advance to the final as the first three placegetters. In addition to England failing to finish, Nigeria were disqualified and Mozambique did not start the race.

Brent Read 12.50pm: Drama on the track

Heartbreak for the Australian men’s 4x400m relay team, who have been disqualified from Saturday’s final, despite a brilliant finish to their heat.

Steven Solomon appeared to have sealed the foursome’s place in the final after a scorching anchor leg, in which he stormed home to move up from fourth to third.

Jamaica won the heat from India and Australia, with The Bahamas fourth and Trinidad and Tobago fifth.

Commentator and former Olympian Tamsyn Lewis immediately expressed concern that an incorrect baton change into the final leg meant instant disqualification for Australia.

Her fears have been confirmed, which is a disappointing result for the home fans.

It is understood the Australian team is weighing up whether to appeal the decision.

12.40pm: Wrestle woes

There’s been little joy for Australia’s wrestlers at the Commonwealth Games, with Nicolaas Verreynne and Mehrdad Tarash stopped in their tracks at Carrara.

Verreynne was awarded victory by fall against Scotland’s Joe Hendry in the 97kg division, having led 5-0 after two periods in their round of 16 battle.

But he was outclassed in the quarters by South African Martin Erasmus 12-1. Tarash was no match for Canada’s Vincent De Marinis in the 65kg division, also losing 12-1 after two periods in the round of 16.

— AAP

Brent Read 12.15pm: Pair sent home

A pair of Indian athletes have been ordered to catch the first flight home after breaching the Games’s ‘no needles policy’.

Rakesh Babu and race walker Irfan Thodi had been banned from the Games and ordered to return home immediately.

Babu was due to compete in Saturday’s triple jump final while Thodi finished 13th in last Sunday’s 20km race walk. Read more here

Charlie Peel 12pm: Dylan Voller attempts self harm

Dylan Voller has allegedly attempted to harm himself in the back of a police wagon after being arrested on the Gold Coast. Read more here

11.45am: Trouble for Jamaica?

England have upstaged the favourites in the second heat of the men’s 4x100m men’s relay, easily beating home Jamaica in a time of 38.15 to 38.44.

Yohan Blake anchored the relay but they were behind from the start. Although they’ve made it through to the final, there might be changes afoot for the Jamaican team.

Nigeria finished third, ahead of Barbados, Malaysia and Fiji.

11.25am: Relay fun and games

Australia’s 4x100m men’s team of Trae Williams, Rohan Browning, Jack Hale and Josh Clarke are safely through to tomorrow night’s final after a cracking heat in which they finished second to South Africa.

The Games’ shock individual 100m winner from earlier in the week, Akani Simbine, stormed home to give his team the first heat win in a time of 38.71sec, ahead of Australia (38.78), Sri Lanka (39.47) and The Gambia (40.57).

11.15am: Athletes booted out

Two Indian athletes have been kicked out of the Commonwealth Games on the Gold Coast after being found with needles at the athletes’ village.

Commonwealth Games Federation president Louise Martin announced today that triple jumper Rakesh Babu and race walker Irfan Thodi had been banned from the Games and ordered to return home immediately.

It’s the second time India have been in trouble at these Games for breaching the no-needles policy, after a doctor with the boxing team was reprimanded last week.

10.55am: Police combat indigenous protest

Police have come out in force to halt an indigenous protest on the Gold Coast near a major Commonwealth Games site.

About 100 protesters had been attempting to disrupt a live broadcast of the Seven Network’s Sunrise program at Kurrawa Beach for the second time this week before setting off for nearby Broadbeach Mall, where buses were waiting for them.

However, several hundred police officers blocked the group from marching down the mall leading towards the Gold Coast Convention Centre, with a spokesman for the protest group saying at least two people had been detained and one protester taken to hospital.

— AAP

Indigenous protesters clash with police on the Gold Coast. Photo: Supplied
Indigenous protesters clash with police on the Gold Coast. Photo: Supplied

10.40am: Diamanto’s golden tinge

Cyprus competitor Diamanto Evripidou has taken gold in the individual hoop final of the rhythmic gymnastics event, shading Wales’s Laura Halford and Kwan Dict Weng from Malaysia.

10.15am: Aussies off the table

Hu Heming and Yan Xin have been eliminated in the quarter-finals of the men’s table tennis competition, falling to Indian pair Harmeet Desai and Sanil Shankar Shetty 11-8, 10-12, 12-10, 11-8.

Two Indian teams have advanced to the semi-finals of the competition, while England and Singapore are also represented.

9.30am: ‘I was angry, I wanted to kill him’

Two years on from a rage-fuelled meltdown at the Rio Olympics, Melbourne boxer Jason Whateley insists his Commonwealth Games will end in a far different manner.

Whateley is a hot favourite to continue his path through the 91kg division when he takes on India’s Naman Tanwar in Friday’s semi-finals.

Jason Whateley celebrates his men’s 91kg quarter-final victory over Damien Sullivan of Northern Ireland. Photo: Getty Images
Jason Whateley celebrates his men’s 91kg quarter-final victory over Damien Sullivan of Northern Ireland. Photo: Getty Images

The elder statesmen of the men’s team at 27, Whateley is the only member to have fought at an Olympics — although it wasn’t a positive experience. Whateley had the poor fortune of being drawn against local hope Juan Nogueira for his opening bout at the Riocentro.

Booed by a deafening and fiercely parochial Rio crowd as he entered the ring, Whateley lost his cool and lost the plot.

“I got too angry. I was angry at the crowd and I wanted to kill him,” Whateley said.

“You can’t do that at this top level. They take you apart.

“I fought a really bad first round there ... I just let it take over my emotions a little bit.” Whateley has played the fight over in his mind plenty of times and says there’s no danger the pressure will get to him again.

“It’s all just mental strength,” he said.

“It’s experience. You just have to stay calm, relax, go through the motions, warm up ... it’s like any other fight. Take the crowd in but just don’t get emotional.”

Unlike in Rio, Whateley will have the crowd firmly on his side during today’s bout (3.02pm AEST).

With most of the major amateur boxing meets held in Europe and Asia, Whateley is relishing the rare chance to fight in front of a packed home audience.

“It’s unbelievable, mate,” Whateley said.

“It’s a dream come true. I’m very patriotic, I love this country, so to come here and have such a great support team behind me is fantastic.”

— AAP

9am: Caslick in AFL’s sights?

Rugby Australia shouldn’t have too many fears about pin-up girl Charlotte Caslick being poached by the AFL to join their booming women’s competition.

Although the stand-out sevens playmaker has all the skills to make her an obvious AFL target, Caslick has been quick to highlight what Aussie rules lacks before her Games campaign kicks off at Robina Stadium.

“I think rugby sevens has so much more to offer at this stage,” she said.

“We have the Olympic and Commonwealth Games, a World Series, a Rugby World Cup; like we travel the world and there’s so many benefits to rugby that I wouldn’t be able to pass up.”

Australian women’s rugby sevens stars Charlotte Caslick (left) and Emilee Cherry warm up for their Commonwealth Games campaign. Photo: RUGBY.com.au/Stuart Walmsley
Australian women’s rugby sevens stars Charlotte Caslick (left) and Emilee Cherry warm up for their Commonwealth Games campaign. Photo: RUGBY.com.au/Stuart Walmsley

8.30am: Mathews backs up in 1500m

Thirteen hours after claiming an unlikely Commonwealth Games 800m bronze medal, Luke Mathews will back up to begin his 1500m campaign.

Mathews pulled off a spectacular, if somewhat bizarre, podium performance last night, slipping to sixth with 100 metres to run before surging home to claim Australia’s first Commonwealth medal in the event since 2002.

But the 22-year-old national champion won’t have time to celebrate before getting ready for his 1500m heat, which is scheduled for 11.35am today.

“I’ve got under 13 hours until my heat,” Mathews said.

“All I know right now is that I’ll be starting somewhere on the back straight. I don’t know how I’m going to get through that, but I’m pretty fit so I should get through it fine.”

Also flying the 1500m green and gold flag in the first heat will be national record-holder Ryan Gregson, who is out to build on his Rio Olympics final appearance — the first by an Australian man in 40 years.

Standing in his way are Kenyan stars Elijah Manangoi and Timothy Cheruiyot, the gold and silver medallists at last year’s world championships, the leaders in a stacked field also including Scottish duo Jake Wightman and Chris O’Hare and Ugandan Ronald Musugala.

Tonight, Matt Denny will contest the men’s discus final in a bid to add to his hammer throw silver medal.

Patrick Tiernan and Stewart McSweyn will compete in the men’s 10,000m before Michelle Jenneke and Brianna Beahan put it all out in the women’s 100m hurdles final.

— AAP

6.45am: ‘He’s just so powerful’

His leg folded flat and halfway up his back, face wedged in another man’s sweaty armpit, neck in a vice and whole body in pain, Connor Evans knew there was no escape from Sushil Kumar.

Evans had two strong wins in the 74kg division at the Commonwealth Games before drawn to face India’s wrestling superstar in yesterday’s semi-finals. He had a plan — to go in early and put pressure on the Olympic bronze and silver medallist.

India's Kumar Sushil gets the better of Australia’s Connor Evans. Photo: AFP
India's Kumar Sushil gets the better of Australia’s Connor Evans. Photo: AFP

“I think that went for about 10 seconds but as soon as he’s got the grip, it’s almost impossible to escape. He’s got superhuman strength,” Evans said. Contorted and in agony on his back while wrapped in Kumar’s shoulders, biceps, chest and tree trunk legs, Evans had survival on his mind — for the match, rather than his life.

“I can ignore the pain, that can go away in a day or two. I can ignore the frustration of getting beat but in that moment all I could think about is ‘try to keep your shoulders off the mat, try to survive, get back on your feet and stay in the match’,” he said.

“Unfortunately, he’s just so powerful.”

India's Sushil Kumar celebrates his wrestling gold medal. Photo: AP
India's Sushil Kumar celebrates his wrestling gold medal. Photo: AP

Evans’ left shoulder had long given way and he managed to hold the right one off the mat for a half a minute as the rest of his constricted and twisted body cried out in pain.

But he could only hold out so long and the bout was all over in 90 seconds. “It was pretty painful, I’m not going to lie,” he said.

“The guy’s a world champ and Olympic silver-medallist and he’s so strong. Even just to share the mat with someone of that calibre is an experience I’ll never forget.

“He’s a superstar and always will be.”

At 34, Kumar may have faded a little from the heady days when he was second only to Sachin Tendulkar as a sporting God in India, and has even been written off by some Indian critics after being overlooked for the Rio Olympics. Wrestling passion runs deep in India and Kumar won selection for the Gold Coast only after a spiteful trial at which his supporters and those of his rival, Parveen Rana, came to blows.

But the selectors were vindicated when he went on to win his third successive Commonwealth gold medal last night with a crushing win by technical superiority over South African Johannes Botha.

Evans lost his bronze medal match to Canadian Jevon Balfour, while his teammates Thomas Ciccini, Naomi de Bruine and Carissa Holland were all knocked out in preliminary rounds.

— AAP

6.35am: Semenya seeks rare double

South African drawcard Caster Semenya is favoured to complete a rare double today, when an unheralded Cypriot could become the golden athlete of the Commonwealth Games.

Caster Semenya hopes to add 800m gold to her 1500m title tonight. Photo: Getty Images
Caster Semenya hopes to add 800m gold to her 1500m title tonight. Photo: Getty Images

Semenya will race in the 800m final tonight, seeking to become the third woman in the history of the Games to claim the 800-1500m double. Semenya’s bid comes as Cypriot rhythmic gymnast Diamanto Evripidou could become the most successful athlete at the Gold Coast Games.

The 18-year-old is in line to collect four gold medals on Friday when she contests the individual hoop, ball, clubs and ribbon finals. Victories in all four would deliver her a sixth gold medal of the Games. Currently, Australian swimmer Mitch Larkin has the most golds on the Gold Coast — five.

The Cypriot’s Friday competitions come in the morning and early afternoon, before attention switches to the Semenya and the athletics.

Cyprus' Diamanto Evripidou. Photo: AFP
Cyprus' Diamanto Evripidou. Photo: AFP

Tonight was to have been Sally Pearson night at the Games — the women’s 100m hurdles final is the last event on the night’s program. But Australian Pearson’s untimely Achilles injury which ruled her out of the Games has thrown the hurdles sprint wide open.

Jamaican Danielle Williams, the 2015 world champion in the event, has assumed favouritism after being the fastest qualifier in Thursday’s heats with 12.69 seconds. Australia has both Brianna Beahan and Michelle Jenneke in the final.

Another keenly contested Friday night final will be the women’s pole vault featuring New Zealander Eliza McCartney, the 2016 Olympics bronze medallist, carrying gold medal favouritism.

But McCartney will be challenged by England’s Holly Bradshaw and improving Australian Nina Kennedy on a night when nine track and field gold medals will be decided.

Also today, India will fancy its chances of claiming more shooting gold medals when three are on offer.

Indian Seema Tomar is favourite in the women’s trap.

Three golds will also be awarded at the diving, including the men’s synchronised 10m platform and women’s 1m springboard final.

— AAP

6.30am: Day 9 — Aussies in action

ATHLETICS
• 10am — Luke Cann: men’s javelin throw qualifying round group A
• 10.30am — Alysha Burnett, Celeste Mucci: women’s heptathlon long jump
• 11.05am — Australia: men’s 4x100m relay round 1, heat 1
• 11.10am — Hamish Peacock: men’s javelin throw qualifying round group B
• 11.35am — Luke Mathews, Ryan Gregson: men’s 1500m round 1, heat 1
• 11.46am — Jordan Williamsz: men’s 1500m round 1, heat 2.
• 12.15pm — Australia: men’s 4x400m relay round 1, heat 2
• 12.25pm — Alysha Burnett, Celeste Mucci: women’s heptathlon javelin throw
• 7.25pm — Liz Parnov, Lisa Campbell, Nina Kennedy: women’s pole vault final
• 7.30pm — James Nipperess: men’s 3000m steeplechase final
• 7.45pm — Benn Harradine, Matty Denny, Mitchell Cooper: men’s discus throw final
• 8.05pm/8.13pm — Alysha Burnett, Celeste Mucci: women’s heptathlon 800m heats 1 & 2 (seventh and final event)
• 9.10pm — Patrick Tiernan, Stewart McSweyn: men’s 10,000m final
• 10.09pm — Brianna Beahan, Michelle Jenneke: women’s 100m hurdles final

BADMINTON
• Time TBC — Australia (Setyana Mapasa, Gronya Somerville): women’s doubles quarter-final
• Time TBC — Australia (Sawan Serasinghe, Setyana Mapasa): mixed doubles quarter- final
• Time TBC — TBC Australia (Matthew Chau, Sawan Serasinghe): men’s doubles quarter-final

BASKETBALL
• 9pm — Australia v New Zealand: women’s semi-final 2

BOXING
• 12.02pm — Taylah Robertson v Lisa Whiteside (England): women’s 51kg semi-final 1
• 12.32pm — Anja Stridsman v Troy Garton (New Zealand): women’s 60kg semi-final 1
• 2.17pm — Harry Garside v Michael McDonagh (Wales): men’s 60kg semi-final 2
• 3.02pm — Jason Whateley v Naman Tanwar (India): men’s 91kg semi-final 1
• 6.47pm — Skye Nicolson v Sabrina Aubin-Boucher (Canada): women’s 57kg semi-final 2
• 7.02pm — Caitlin Parker v Millicent Agboegbulem (Nigeria): women’s 75kg semi- final 1
• 9.02pm — Clay Waterman v Sammy Lee (Wales): men’s 81kg semi-final 1

DIVING
• 10.07am — Esther Qin, Georgia Sheehan: women’s 1m springboard preliminary (final at 7.07pm)
• 11.40am — Australia (Declan Stacey/Domonic Bedggood): men’s synchronised 10m platform final
• 9.04pm — Australia (Domonic Bedggood/Matthew Carter), Australia (James Connor/Kurtis Mathews): men’s synchronised 3m springboard final

GYMNASTICS — RHYTHMIC
• 10.03am — Enid Sung: women’s hoop final
• 10.43am — Danielle Prince, Alexandra Kiroi-Bogatyreva: women’s ball final
• 11.23am — Enid Sung: women’s clubs final
• 12.04pm — Enid Sung, Alexandra Kiroi-Bogatyreva: women’s ribbon final

HOCKEY
• 9.45pm — Australia v England: men’s semi-final.

LAWN BOWLS
• 12.30pm — Aaron Wilson v Robert Paxton (England): men’s singles semi-final (gold and bronze medal matches at 5.30pm)
• 12.30pm — Australia (Nathan Rice, Barrie Lester, Aron Sherriff, Brett Wilkie): TBC men’s fours gold or bronze medal match

RUGBY SEVENS
• 5.37pm — Australia v Wales: women’s pool B preliminary
• 8.17pm — Australia v England: women’s pool B preliminary

SHOOTING
• 8.30am — David Chapman: men’s 25m rapid fire pistol qualification stage 2, relay 1 (final at 1.30pm)
• 8.30am — Robyn Ridley, Emma Adams: women’s 50m rifle 3 positions qualification (final at 11.30am)
• 9am — Catherine Skinner, Laetisha Scanlan: women’s trap qualification (final at 3.55pm)
• 9.30am — Thomas Grice, Mitchell Iles-Crevatin: men’s trap qualification day 1 of 2
• 10am — Sergei Evglevski: men’s 25m rapid fire pistol qualification stage 2, relay 2 (final at 1.30pm)

SQUASH
• 12pm — Australia (Donna Urquhart, Rachael Grinham) v Wales: women’s doubles quarter-final
• 1pm/2pm — TBC Australia (Cameron Pilley, Ryan Cuskelly) and/or TBC Australia (David Palmer, Zac Alexander): men’s doubles quarter-final
• 6pm — Australia (Donna Urquhart, Cameron Pilley): mixed doubles semi-final

TABLE TENNIS
• 9.30am — TBC Australia (Xin Yan, Heming Hu): men’s doubles quarter-final (semi- finals from 6pm)
• 11.15am — Andrea McDonnell (Australia) v Melissa Tapper (Australia): women’s TT6-10 singles semi-final
• 5.15pm — Jian Fang Lay v Mo Zhang (Canada): women’s singles quarter-final

WRESTLING
• 10.30am — Nicolaas Verreynne v Joe Hendry (Scotland): men’s 97kg preliminary (final at 5pm)
• 10.30am — Mehrdad Tarash v Vincent De Marinis (Canada): men’s 65kg preliminary (final at 5pm)

— AAP

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Original URL: https://www.theaustralian.com.au/sport/2018-commonwealth-games/commonwealth-games-2018-day-9-live-coverage-sushil-kumar-dominates-in-wrestling/news-story/82c297b16746cc103ff7e8362b6795df