Glasgow 2014: DAY 10: Usain Bolt heads record breaking night for Jamiaca, Daley & Adams help England seal first place, boxing success for Scotland and Northern Ireland



Jamaican closing leg runner Usain Bolt (9 News Brisbane)

By Steven Oldham MISSED DAY 9 HIGHLIGHTS? CLICK HERE
 
Sprint superstar Usain Bolt led Jamaica to gold and a new Commonwealth record in the 4x100m relay tonight as his country dominated the final night of athletics.
 

Bolt and team-mates Jason Livermore, Kemar Bailey-Cole and Nickel Ashmeade finished nearly half a second ahead of runners up England. Trinidad and Tobago finished third.
 
Their female counterparts - led by Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce - also ripped up the history books - setting a new Games record in the 4x100m and finishing over a second ahead of the Nigerian team.
 
It was a day of broken records for the island nation as the women's 4 x 400m relay team got in on the act -  with Christine Day,Novlene Williams-Mills, Anastasia Le-Roy and Stephanie McPherson taking gold and again setting a new Commonwealth best.
 
Today rounded out a successful athletics programme for the Caribbean island, whose ten gold medals have all come in track and field.
 


Tom Daley retains his 10m platform title (BBC Sport)


England meanwhile are celebrating finishing first in the medals table - nearest rivals Australia cannot make up the eleven gold gap in the final day of competition tomorrow.
 
It is the first time since 1986 the English have finished as the most successful country - when the Games were also held in Scotland.
 
Stars from London 2012 helped the team cement their victory - Nicola Adams again made history by becoming the first woman to win Commonwealth gold after beating Northern Ireland's Michaela Walsh in the women's flyweight division.
 
Tom Daley won the 10m platform event, retaining his title from Delhi four years ago. He finished with 516.55 points, comfortably ahead of nearest rival Ooi Tze Liang of Malaysia who scored 433.70 points. Daley secured his second medal in as many days after winning silver in the synchro event with James Denny.
 
Back in the boxing ring, England took four other gold medals thanks to Anthony Fowler (middleweight), Scott Fitzgerald (welterweight), Joe Joyce (super-heavyweight) and Savannah Marshall (women's middleweight).
 
Husband and wife table tennis players Paul & Joanna Drinkhall beat team-mates Liam Pitchford and Tin-Tin Ho to the mixed doubles title, while the men's 4x400m relay team also took the top prize by beating the Bahamian team by just 0.05 seconds.
 

Scotland's Josh Taylor shows what victory means (Edinburgh Paper)

 

Scotland continue to add more medals to their best ever Games and took two more gold medals in boxing today.
 
Charlie Flynn and Josh Taylor won the lightweight and light welterweight divisions respectively, beating fighters from Northern Ireland and Namibia to take their country past the 50 medal mark.
 
Wth a bronze medal also coming in the mixed doubles in badminton, the hosts can be rightly proud of their 52 medal haul and are guaranteed at least one more in badminton tomorrow - Kirsty Gilmour is guaranteed at least silver in the badminton singles.
 

Northern Ireland's Paddy Barnes (GymCo Belfast)

 

 

Northern Ireland shot up the medal table to fifteenth as their boxers took the country's first two gold medals of these Games.
 
Reigning light-flyweight champion Paddy Barnes held onto his title with victory over Devendro Laisham of India before bantamweight doubled his country's gold tally in one afternoon by beating Qais Ashfaq of England.
 
Boxing has again proved to be Northern Ireland's strongest sport by far, accounting for nine of their twelve medals in Glasgow this summer.

Australia's dominant women hockey players (BBC Sport)

 

Australia's women's hockey team won a third consecutive Commonwealth gold by beating England on penalty strokes in today's final.
 
Since the sport debuted in 1998, the Australians have only missed out on winning once - in 2002, India picked up the gold.
 
Diver Esther Qin won the 3m springboard to claim Australia's second gold in this sport in Glasgow.
 
There was also success in athletics and boxing for the team from Down Under today, with Alana Boyd winning the pole vault, while Andrew Moloney (flyweight) and Shelley Watts (lightweight) beat opponents from Pakistan and India respectively.

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DAY 10 DIGEST IN 60 SECONDS...

• Nigeria continue to dominate powerlifting - they won every gold medal available today
• There was a first gold medal in squash for India. Dipika Pallikal and Joshana Chinappa beat English pair Laura Massaro and Jenny Duncalf in the final of the women's doubles.
• Reigning netball champions New Zealand booked a place in tomorrow's final against Australia, but only just - they beat England 35-34 with the deciding goal coming in the last second of play.
• Singapore won two more gold medals in table tennis - mens singles and womens' doubles
• Kenya's Mercey Cherono led home team-mate Janet Kisa in the 5000m. Veteran English runner Jo Pavey took bronze.

Glasgow 2014: DAY 5: Scotland guarantee best ever Games with bowls success, Jamaica take athletics gold, Malaysia enjoy best day

Scotland's history makers Alex Marshall and Paul Foster (@_dpaj)

MISSED DAY 4 HIGHLIGHTS? CLICK HERE

By Steven Oldham 

It was only a matter of time before Scotland beat their eleven gold medals from Melbourne 2006 given their successful start to Glasgow 2014, and, with six days left, they achieved this today with victory in bowls as Alex Marshall and Paul Foster won the men's pairs.

The pair romped to an easy 20-3 victory over Malaysia and in doing so secured their place in Scottish folklore as the athletes who confirmed a historic best for the country.

Libby Clegg's victory in the T12 100m in para-sport athletics was another milestone matched, as Scotland now have 33 medals from this Games - matching their best ever total haul from a single Commonwealths.

Nicol David playing England's Laura Massaro (@starsport_my)

Malaysia enjoyed their best day of Glasgow 2014 so far, picking up gold in both squash and badminton.

World number one Nicol David beat English challenger Laura Massaro to take the women's squash event while they again outperformed the English in the mixed team badminton event, meaning both David and the badminton team retain the titles they won in Delhi four years ago.

Kemar Bailey Cole wins the 100m ahead of Adam Gemili (@sportsnet)

Jamiacan gold medals are like buses; you wait ages for one then two turn up at once.

Predictably, both came in athletics - Kemar Bailey-Cole won the 100m, and O'Dayne Richards took the shot put.

Veronica Campbell-Brown had to settle for silver in the 100m sprint, with team-mate Kerron Stewart third. Nigeria's Blessing Okagbare won the race.

Welsh swimmer Jazz Carlin (Getty Images)



Swimmer Jazz Carlin became the first women in 40 years to win a Commonwealth event for Wales as she took the 800m freestyle.

She took her first Games title ahead of New Zealand's Lauren Boyle and Brittany Maclean and now has Commonwealth gold, silver and bronze.

This was Wales' third gold this Games  in three different sports - swimming, judo and rhythmic gymnastics.

English discus thrower Dan Greaves (@spogo)

England had another successful day with titles in the pool, squash and athletics.

Swimmer Ollie Hynd completed the grand slam and added Commonwealth gold to his collection, which already includes Paralympic, European and world titles, by winning the SM8 200m medley. 18-year-old Sophie Taylor took the 100m breaststroke final, having won her semi final and been the fastest in the heats. 

Discus thrower Dan Greaves secured his country's first gold medal in athletics by winning the F42/44 final ahead of Wales' Aled Davies and Nigeria's Richard Okigbazi.

Nick Matthew retained his Delhi 2010 title by winning an all-English final in the men's squash against team-mate James Willstrop. Peter Barker's bronze meant the English completed a clean sweep of the podium, with Laura Massaro also winning silver.

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DAY 5 DIGEST IN 60 SECONDS...

• Northern Ireland edged closer to the top prize by picking up silver in the men's triples bowls competition
• Cameroon won their first gold medal of the Games, and first since the 2002 Games, as weightlifter Marie Fegue takes victory in the 69kg weight class.
• Singapore continued their dominance in table tennis, adding the men's team event to the women's title they took on day 4
• Medal table leaders Australia continue to add to their medal tally, winning gold in shooting and swimming
• Canada's Sultana Frizzell retained her hammer title from Delhi 2010 and beat her own Games record in the process

Glasgow 2014 - Commonwealth Games Sports Guide: Boxing

By Steven Oldham

Click HERE for Commonwealth Games homepage

Boxing is part and parcel of the Commonwealth Games - it's appeared in every Games and as a core sport must be in future editions.

For the first time, women's boxing will feature in the programme in three weight categories, alongside ten competitions for men.

Boxers who have gone on to further success since winning Commonwealth titles include David Price, Audley Harrison and Tom Stalker.

WHEN?

Boxing lasts for most of the games, with preliminaries taking place July 25-30 with the medal matches on August 1-2.

WHERE?

The Scottish Exhibition and Conference Centre hosts boxing and five other sports.

WHO?

Northern Ireland topped the table last time with three gold and two silver medals. Paddy Barnes is the reigning light-flyweight champion and he is also a double Olympic bronze medallist at the same weight. He is one of his country's brightest medal hopes in Glasgow this summer.

Scotland's Callum Johnson won his country's only gold in boxing last time in Delhi but has since turned professional. 22-year-old light welterweight Josh Taylor could improve on his silver from last time in India, and performing in front of a home crowd could see him seal a Commonwealth gold.

History making Olympic champion Nicola Adams is the star of England's team, and she will be looking to make a similar impact in Glasgow. Liverpool's Tasha Jonas is also a trailblazer, being the first woman British woman to qualify for an Olympic boxing competition.

Boxing is a great leveller and no fewer than 16 countries won at least one medal in Delhi - Mauritius and Tonga's only success came in the ring.

LET ME SOUND LIKE I KNOW WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT...

• Weight classes for men range from light flyweight (-49kg) through to superheavyweight (+91kg)
• Women's weights are flyweight, light welterweight and light heavyweight
• Beaten semi-finalists both receive a bronze medal. No boxer fights again after losing.
• Fights last for three rounds of three minutes for men, and four round of two minutes for women. A clear hit is awarded one point. Repeated low blows - below the belt - can lead to disqualification. Protective headwear remains compulsory for women, but men won't wear them after studies found less concussions happen without headwear in place.
• All boxers in both the Commonwealths and Olympics are amateur so it is a great showcase for young talent to progress to the professional game. 

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Can Northern Ireland's Paddy Barnes retain his title? (bbc.co.uk)

Glasgow 2014 - Commonwealth Games Sports Guide: Netball

By Steven Oldham

Click HERE for Commonwealth Games homepage

Netball is another one of the ten 'core sports' at the Commonwealth Games and has been ever present since debuting at the 1998 Games in Kuala Lumpur.
 
Along with rhythmic gymnastics, netball is one of the only sports solely competed by women at the Games.
 
The Commonwealths is the sport's biggest platform, as it has never been included in the Olympic programme.
 
WHEN?

The netball tournaments spans the length of the Games, with group matches kicking off on July 24. The medal matches are on August 3.
 
WHERE?

Netball happens across two locations - group matches are located in the Scottish Exhibition & Conference Centre, while the medal matches will take place in the new 13,000 capacity Hydro Arena next door, which has been open less than a year.

WHO?

Australia and New Zealand have shared the spoils equally since netball debuted at the Commonwealth Games 16 years ago in Malaysia. They both have two gold and two silver medals from four tournaments. England have often been bridesmaids, picking up three bronze medals, with Jamaica the only other country to take a top three placing,

New Zealand have the momentum in Commonwealth terms, having upset the hosting Aussies in Melbourne in 2006 then retaining their title in Delhi four years ago. However, the team from Down Under have won the World Championships in both 2007 and 2011 so it really is cat and mouse between the two nations.

Twelve nations from across the Commonwealth will take part in netball this year.

LET ME SOUND LIKE I KNOW WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT...

• Netball games last for an hour, split into quarters. There are seven players on each team.
• Positions mean something in this sport, with only attacking players allowed to score. Players stick to their role and are restricted to where they move on court
• The court is split into three - one third for each of the team's rings, and the centre
• Players are not allowed to hold the ball for more than three seconds at a time, or dribble the ball around the court
• After a goal, play resumes from the centre zone with teams alternating taking 'centre passes'; regardless of which team has conceded the goal.

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Can Malawi win a first medal in netball in Glasgow?
(faceofmalawi.com)

Glasgow 2014: One month to go! Elite athletes from across the Commonwealth heading to Scotland

By Steven Oldham

Today marks one month to go to the start of the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, the 20th edition of the Games and biggest sporting event held in the UK since the London 2012 Olympics.

A week ago, myself and the other members of Team 14 were set a challenge to mark the one month to go countdown with one word each, which we were to interpret into our blogs in the way we thought best.

My word is ELITE. As a writer, I thought the best way to use this word was to focus on the elite sporting talent that will be competing in Glasgow this summer.

Across many sports there are household names; Olympic, world and European champions; major tournament competitors with medals from countries all over the Commonwealth.

Here, I preview some of the big names set to compete in Glasgow one month from now. This list is not definitive, and further articles will cover all sports on show at this year's Games.

ATHLETICS

Olympic champion Mo Farah is heading to Glasgow (@BBCSport)

Double Olympic champion Mo Farah leads the English charge in track and field and will be a big draw for fans attending the Games.  The distance runner is the current Olympic and world champion at both 5,000 and 10,000 metres and he will be among the favourites to land yet another medal to his trophy cabinet.

Sprinter Shelley-Ann Fraser-Pryce is hoping to complete her medal collection in Glasgow - she's never competed at the Commonwealths before and the Jamaican team will be stronger for her presence. A superstar athlete, she holds two Olympic golds and five world titles across three different distances. As yet it's unknown whether Usain Bolt will compete in Glasgow but Jamaica have a strong pedigree even without the megastar. Like Fraser-Pryce, Yohan Blake has Olympic and world gold to his name and if Bolt does not compete, he could lead the island's charge up the medal table.

Grenada's Kirani James heads into the Commonwealths as Olympic 400m champion and will be looking to add to his medal tally here. He has a Commonwealth Youth Games gold in his collection and a senior title is a real possibility. His country have yet to win a gold medal at the Commonwealths but the 21-year-old represents their best chance to change that.

Over the same distance in the hurdles, Wales's reigning Commonwealth champion Dai Greene will hope to retain his title. The 28-year-old, who also counts world and European gold among his medal haul, will be looking to avenge his narrow medal missing performance at London 2012, where he was 0.14 seconds away from a bronze medal.

Australia's Sally Pearson is the proud owner of both an Olympic record and Commonwealth gold in the 100m hurdles and she will be looking to extend her reign over the rest of the Commonwealth. If she is still competing, the next Games are scheduled to take place Gold Coast City in 2018 - where the 27-year-old lives.

Olympic 800m champion David Rudisha will lead Kenya's quest for medals in Glasgow this summer. He is also an African and world champion over the same distance, and hold both world and Olympic records at the mid-distance. He will be key to his country's task of equalling or even bettering their impressive fifth place in the Delhi 2010 medals table.

SWIMMING

The home nation's poster boy is 25-year-old Michael Jamieson who is a silver medallist at both the Olympics and world championships in the 200m breaststroke. He was the star performer in a disappointing Games in the pool for Great Britain two years ago and has said he is better prepared for the Commonwealths both mentally and physically. The Glasgow-born swimmer is bound to get massive support from the home crowd and this may be enough to inspire him to a first senior title.

Michael Jamieson is one of Scotland's best hopes (@sportscotland)

Lauren Boyle will head the New Zealand team's hopes of glory in the pool - last year she won an impressive three bronze medals at the world championships in Barcelona and will be looking to add to her one Commonwealth Games medal so far - earned in the 4x200m relay in Melbourne eight years ago. She missed out on Olympic bronze in 2012 to Rebecca Adlington in the 400m.

CYCLING

The Isle of Man's Mark Cavendish is set to be one of the star turns in the cycling events at this year's Games.  A world champion in both track and road cycling, he also boasts Commonwealth gold from the Melbourne 2006 games and will be looking to again master Glasgow's streets - he won the British title in the city last year.

Many of Great Britain's all conquering cycling team will compete in Glasgow - Laura Trott, Sir Bradley Wiggins and Jason Kenny, Dani King and Ed Clancy will be among England's best medal hopes, while Geraint Thomas will fly the flag for Wales.

Anna Meares, London 2012 Olympic sprint champion, will also look to add to both her own and Australia's impressive Commonwealth medal tally - she has six medals from these events, four of them gold, and Australia are the most successful nation ever in the history of the Games.

Australia's Anna Meares (@EbbeIversen)

DIVING

London 2012 bronze medallist Tom Daley will head a strong English team in Glasgow which also includes world junior champion Jack Laugher and British champion Chris Mears. Hannah Starling and Rebecca Gallantree will look to match the expected achievement of the men's team.

Diving looks to be an area Canada could again do very well in this year, with a trio of bronze medallists from London 2012 leading their team. Partners Roseline Filion and Meaghan Benfeito took third in the 10m sycnrho, an achievement matched by 3m synchro diver Jennifer Abel. The Canadian women have also excelled in the FINA World Series and head to Glasgow hotly tipped as the team to beat, having also topped the medal table in Delhi four years ago.

Canada's Meaghan Benefito could light up Glasgow (@Fina1908)

Malaysia won three medals in diving last time out, and will want to be on the podium again in Glasgow following their most successful games in India four years ago. Canada, Malaysia and Australia again look to be the teams battling for the medals in the women's events.

Other notable entrants include Australia's Olympic champion Matthew Mitcham, who has yet to win gold at the Commonwealths, despite winning four silvers last time out, and Leeds-based Yona Knight-Wisdom, who will make history by becoming Jamaica's first representative in the diving competition.

TRIATHLON

Brothers Alistair and Jonny Brownlee will be among the favourites for triathlon glory this summer. The Englishmen - Olympic champion and bronze medallist respectively - were two of the more unlikely stars of London 2012 thanks to being related and their three-way rivalry with Spaniard Javier Gomez, who stopped a Brownlee 1-2 two years ago.

As well as the Olympics, they have both won the World Triathlon Series, again trading victories with Gomez who sadly will not be able to continue his battle with the Brownlees this summer.

In the ladies event, current WTS chamion Non Stanford will miss out for Wales due to a stress fracture in her ankle, and the Welsh team's loss could be England's gain - WTS runner up Jodie Stimpson could be the woman to beat in Glasgow. Emma Moffatt of Australia - a two time WTS winner - and New Zealand's Commonwealth Games 2006 bronze medal winner Andrea Hewitt will be looking to stop her winning.

BOXING

Northern Ireland topped the medal table in boxing in Delhi four years ago and Commonwealth champion Paddy Barnes is back for another shot at gold in Glasgow.

Boxing was by far Northern Ireland's most successful sport in Delhi, with three gold medals from the boxers hauling the country up to 13th in the medal table.

Barnes, a double Olympic bronze medallist at light flyweight in both 2008 and 2012, is his team's star attraction alongside cyclist Wendy Houvenaghel, herself a world champion and Olympic and Commonwealth medal winner.

India had their best Commonwealth Games to date when hosting in 2010, coming second in the medal table. Like Northern Ireland, boxing contributed three gold medals to their tally and light welterweight champion Manoj Kumar has returned to defend his title. Bronze medallist Vijender Singh will also want to add to his medal collection having been eliminated by the now professional Anthony Ogogo.



Indian boxer Manoj Kumar (@JasvirLota)

Breakout star Nicola Adams will also compete for England. The first women's Olympic boxing champion could be one of the stars of Glasgow 2014 and could again make history as this is the first year women's boxing has been part of the Commonwealth programme.  

This is just a small selection of athletes who can excel in Glasgow this summer. There are always surprise successes - in terms of both athletes and countries outperforming expectations - who will it be this year? How far up the medal table will Scotland go with the 'home nation' effect factored in? There's only one way to find out - and it's now just one month away...