Josh Kerr wins the mile at the Commonwealth Games (© Getty Images)
Josh Kerr delivered a home victory in the men’s mile, Jamaican 400m runner Dejanea Oakley completed an impressive same-day double and Kurtis Marschall broke the Games pole vault record as the athletics programme concluded at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow on Saturday (1).
Competing for the first time since breaking the world mile record in London two weeks ago, Kerr produced another commanding performance to take the title in front of an appreciative Scottish crowd.
The pace was relatively steady through the early stages, but Kerr took control on the final lap and opened a decisive gap before the home straight. He crossed the line in 3:54.12, finishing more than a second ahead of Australia’s Cameron Myers, who took silver in 3:55.26.
Kerr’s winning time broke one of the oldest records on the Commonwealth Games books. Kenya’s Kip Keino had held the mark with the 3:55.34 he ran in 1966, the last time the men’s mile had featured at the Games.
The women’s race was much closer with Abbey Caldwell leading an Australian sweep of the medals. Caldwell came through strongly in the closing stages to win in 4:39.31, holding off Jessica Hull, who finished 0.55 behind in 4:39.86. Claudia Hollingsworth completed the all-Australian podium in 4:40.20.
As the women’s mile was being contested at the Games for the first time, Caldwell’s winning mark established the inaugural Games record. The Australian one-two-three in the final discipline of the athletics programme provided a fitting conclusion for the nation that topped the sport’s medal table with 11 gold medals and 27 medals in total. Jamaica finished second with 10 gold medals among a total of 18, while Kenya placed third.
Oakley completes double
Dejanea Oakley’s busy final day began just after midday with a dominant victory in the women’s 400m during the first session of the day.
The Jamaican moved away from the field around the final bend and maintained her form down the home straight to win in 50.21.
Exactly nine hours later, Oakley returned to the track for the mixed 4x400m final – another event making its first appearance at the Commonwealth Games.
Jamaica was back in fourth place when Oakley received the baton for the anchor leg, but she quickly closed on the teams ahead. Her 48.67 split carried Jamaica into the lead and she continued to pull away before crossing the line in 3:10.97.
As the first mixed 4x400m contested at the Games, Jamaica’s performance established the inaugural Games record. England took silver in 3:11.58.
Marschall raises pole vault record
Kurtis Marschall produced a near-flawless series to win the men’s pole vault with a Games record of 5.85m.
The Australian cleared every height at his first attempt up to and including 5.80m. That clearance secured the title and equalled the Games record, with South Africa’s Kyle Rademeyer and England’s Owen Heard both ending their competitions at 5.70m.
Marschall then raised the bar to 5.85m and cleared it on his second attempt to take sole ownership of the record. Rademeyer earned silver on countback ahead of Heard.
Nigeria’s Samuel Ogazi came within 0.01 of another Games record in the men’s 400m. The 20-year-old entered the home straight with a clear lead and held his form to win in 44.25, narrowly missing the 44.24 Games record set by Grenada’s Kirani James in 2014, also in Glasgow. Trinidad and Tobago’s Jereem Richards was second in 44.82.
Sawyers turns Glasgow silver into gold
Twelve years after earning Commonwealth silver in Glasgow, Jazmin Sawyers returned to the Scottish city and went one better in the women’s long jump.
Nigeria’s Ruth Usoro led the competition after opening with 6.87m, while Sawyers sat in third place at the halfway stage.
The English athlete moved into the lead in the fourth round, however, producing a wind-assisted 6.93m (2.7m/s) and backing it up with 6.90m (2.2m/s) in round five. Usoro was unable to respond and took silver with her opening-round leap.
Matthew Denny successfully defended his discus title. The Australian took the lead in the opening round with 66.87m and extended his advantage to 67.32m with his third throw. He improved again in round four, sending the discus out to 67.73m for the winning mark. Jamaica’s Fedrick Dacres secured silver with 65.10m.
Australia earned another throwing title through Mackenzie Little in the women’s javelin. The 2022 silver medallist upgraded to gold in Glasgow with a best throw of 61.88m. New Zealand’s Tori Moorby surpassed 60 metres to take second place with 60.04m.
Irene Jepkemboi earned bronze with 57.85m, becoming the first Kenyan woman in Commonwealth Games history to win a medal in a field event.
Mathew Kipchumba Kipsang added another gold medal for Kenya in the men’s 5000m, taking the title in 13:23.61. Australia’s Ky Robinson, who had won the 10,000m earlier in the week, finished more than a second behind to take silver.
Australia and Jamaica take relay titles
Australia caused an upset in the men’s 4x100m, defeating Olympic champions Canada in a closely contested final.
There was little to separate the two teams on the anchor leg, but Australia held on to win in 38.07. Canada, anchored by Andre De Grasse, followed just 0.04 behind in 38.11.
Jamaica prevailed in an equally competitive women’s final. The Jamaican quartet clocked 42.65 to finish 0.11 ahead of Canada, who took silver in 42.76.
