‘Birdman’ flies the flag
Bird-Smith walks tall on home turf
He helped design the course and Dane Bird-Smith used that inside knowledge to produce a thrilling victory in the men’s 20km walk.
The Rio Olympic bronze medallist was caught in an enthralling battle with England’s Tom Bosworth for the entire race before making his move just 500 metres from the finish line.
With the local crowd willing him on Bird-Smith produced an inspired surge to shrug off his rival and give Australia the perfect start to the athletics program yesterday.
The 25-year-old took gold in a Commonwealth Games record time of 1hr19min34sec with Bosworth just four seconds behind. Kenya’s Samuel Ireri Gathimba won bronze.
“I’m absolutely cooked but I could not be happier,” BirdSmith said.
“That course out there is so, so tough and those guys kept coming at me, every single one.
“To do this on home ground, I can’t thank everyone here enough. That last 500 hurt so much but I had everyone on me, everyone behind me.”
Bird-Smith continued Australia’s dominance of the event with the green and gold having won each of the past five events at Commonwealth level.
“It’s so special,” Bird-Smith said. “It’s a whole different ball game here (to Rio).
“Rio for me was a bit of a jumping out into the scene, I was the unknown and just fighting my way to the front
“But here I was the man to beat and every single one of them came and tried to fight me and I fought them off.”
Fellow Australians Michael Hosking finished 10th with Rhydian Cowley 11th.
In the women’s event it was a day of mixed emotions with Aussie Jemima Montag claiming the win after veteran teammate Claire Tallent was disqualified within sight of the gold.
Tallent had just taken the lead from Montag with two kilometres remaining when she was red-carded for a third time.
Tallent slumped to the road and burst into tears as she watched Montag sail past her to collect the gold medal.
“That’s not the way I wanted to win the gold medal,” Montag said. “I guess you have to stay in the moment and roll with what is happening and not let it take your focus away.
“It’s really hard and really unfortunate.”
Tallent, who won the silver medal when the event was last in the Games in 2010, had looked on track for victory.
“I really thought it was my day,” the 36-year-old said. “I didn’t even seem to get cautions.”
“All credit to Jemima, she is a great girl and she is going to carry the flag for many many more years to come but I just thought it was my day.”
Montag took the gold medal in 1hr32min50sec from her training partner, New Zealand’s Alana Barber, who was more than a minute behind.
It was a tough day for the third Australian and race favourite Beki Smith who finished sixth.
Photo: Michael Dodge