Medical care under scrutiny
MEDAL TALLY
ATHLETICS:
Games organisers will investigate the delay getting medical attention to collapsed Scottish marathon runner Callum Hawkins.
In the most graphic images of the Games, a stricken Hawkins was slumped on the side of the road for several minutes after crashing into a number of barriers as his body melted down in the brutal Gold Coast conditions.
Horrified viewers across the
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They dominated the pool in an outstanding revival for the sport, but Australian swimming’s biggest test will come at the Pan Pacific championships in August when they face the might of the US.
Just 17 of the 49 Olympic program swimmers on the Games team gained automatic qualification for the Pan Pacs with their individual efforts on the Gold Coast, and the Tokyo championships will determine whether these Games were merely a false dawn.
Swimming Australia will apply stricter qualifying standards for the Pan Pacs which is likely to be the yardstick by which the athletes will measure their success this year.
Some of Australia’s performances at these games world reacted on social media as serious concerns for Hawkins’ health spread with no medicos getting to the stricken runner.
Runners are instantly disqualified out of the marathon if they receive any medical assistance but it was obvious this situation had gone on too long.
Legendary UK runner Steve Cram said the situation was “a disgrace” and even apologised would measure up in any competition.
The effort of Bronte Campbell (pictured) to win the 100m final would have claimed gold at the Rio Olympics and dead-heated for the win at last year’s world championships while the women set a new standard in the 4x100m freestyle relay with a world record.
“Our aim for this campaign was to make Australia proud, show them what we’re made of and I think we succeeded in doing that,” coach Jacco Verhaeren said. Photo: DAVE HUNT
Emma Greenwood
to viewers.
“I’m just concerned for his welfare,” he told the BBC. “He hit his head on the barrier. I’m sorry if you’re watching this at home, it’s really distressing. He’s going to hurt himself and there’s nobody anywhere near.”
Two-time Commonwealth Games silver medal winner Dave Culbert agreed the lack of assistance was an issue.
“Now we need to see someone
SQUASH:
Rachael Grinham has never left a Commonwealth Games without a medal, and the Australian former world No.1 sure as hell wasn’t going to give up her final chance at her fifth Games.
Twenty years on from her debut at Kuala Lumpur in 1998, Grinham (pictured) added an eighth squash medal to her prolific Games career after clinching the women’s doubles bronze with teammate Donna Urquhart.
The pair claimed a straightforward 2-0 play-off win over England duo Laura Massaro and Sarah-Jane Perry yesterday.
After racing to a secondgame 6-0 lead, the Australians endured a feisty England fightback and were pushed all the out there. We need someone to at least ask him, ‘Callum, would you like us to take you off the course?’, he said on Channel Seven.
Fellow Scottish distance runner Andrew Butchart tweeted: “SOMEONE F — KING HELP HIM!!!”
Callum’s brother Derek thanked people for their messages of support.
“Can’t describe how upsetting BRONZE: Donna Urquhart and Rachael Grinham celebrate. way to 9-8. But they held on to win the final two points and seal a 11-6 11-8 triumph that brought sweet relief for Grinham.
“I was close to walking away from these Games without a medal but luckily we turned it on today with an awesome match,” the 41-year-old said.
“That was a really good result, we beat them quite comfortably which is hard to do in and distressing it was to watch but just glad he’s all right,” he tweeted.
Hawkins, who was leading the race and only 2km from the finish line when he collapsed, was taken away in an ambulance for further treatment.
Team Scotland later reported he was sitting up in bed and talking to his dad, and would undergo further medical tests.
Gold Coast Commonwealth doubles.”
As it happened, it was Urquhart who’d snuffed out Grinham’s only other chance at a medal three days ago.
She and cousin Cameron Pilley downed Grinham and Ryan Cuskelly in an all-Aussie mixed doubles encounter before going on to claim gold on Saturday night.
Urquhart said it had taken all her focus to back up 12-odd hours later for Sunday’s showdown.
“I had to kept my head screwed on last night and make sure I didn’t get too carried away feeling excited about that,” Urquhart said.
“Because this match meant just as much to me.”
AAP
Games boss Mark Peters said he was distressed by the scenes and would investigate the delay in medical help, but defended the 8.15am start time for the race.
“Obviously the health of the athlete is absolutely prime,” he said.
“We will find out factually what happened and then others can learn.”
Peters said athletes ran in “snow and 30-odd degree heat ... so we don’t think that’s an issue”.
Swimmers’ true test in August
AUSTRALIAN men’s squash doubles pair Zac Alexander and David Palmer have won Commonwealth Games gold.
The Glasgow 2014 adversaries were the epitome of teamwork in yesterday’s nerve-racking three-game title match, outdoing England’s Daryl Selby and Adrian Waller 11-9 3-11 11-6.
Palmer, the former world No.1 who came out of retirement for a second time to seek glory on the Gold Coast, claimed his third Games gold medal and ninth overall at the age of 41.
Down 3-0 in the third, the duo mustered all their might to claim victory.
AAP