Semenya rules on the track; Aussies rule in the pool
GOLD COAST, AUSTRALIA — Caster Semenya didn’t let a light drizzle and technical malfunction prevent her from setting a Commonwealth Games record in the 1,500 metres.
The two-time Olympic 800metre champion crossed in 4 minutes, 0.71 seconds, taking more than four seconds off the old mark.
That came after a 12-minute delay at the start because of a technical fault, and a slowerthan-usual first two laps from Semenya.
Next up could be gold in her specialty, the 800, as well.
“It’s difficult to balance speed with endurance, but with 10 years of experience for me now, I’m ready for anything,” Semenya said of her prospects of winning over both distances.
In other news from the games:
Final night at the pool
There was yet more gold for Australia along with personal milestones for South African Chad le Clos and Canadian teenager Taylor Ruck.
Australia added six more gold medals Tuesday to finish with 73 medals — 28 gold, 21 silver and 24 bronze — in swimming events.
Ahead of the last night of competition, le Clos won gold in all three butterfly distances — the 50, 100 and 200, and had a silver in the 100 freestyle.
The 17-year-old Ruck finished with eight medals at these Games, breaking a 52-year-old Canadian women’s record. Canadian Elaine Tanner won seven medals (four gold and three silver) at the 1966 edition in Kingston, Jamaica.
Ruck had one gold, five silver and two bronze medals on the Gold Coast, picking up her eighth medal when Canada finished second in the medley relay.
India into field hockey semis
Harmanpreet Singh scored twice to help India beat Malaysia 2-1 to secure a spot in the men’s field hockey semifinals, where they’ll likely face either Australia or New Zealand.
Following a draw with Pakistan and wins over Wales and Malaysia, eight-time Olympic champion India will play England to finish off play in Group B ahead of the finals.
79-year-old finishes 8th
Robert Pitcairn, the 79-year-old Canadian and oldest-ever athlete at the Commonwealth Games, finished eighth in the Queen’s Prize Pairs shooting event with partner Nicole Rossignol.
England’s Parang Patel and David Luckman won gold, with Welsh pair Chris Watson and Gareth Morris taking silver and Scotland’s Alexander Walker and Ian Shaw took bronze.
British shooters also filled the podium in the men’s 50-metre rifle prone — David Phelps of Wales took gold, Neil Stirton of Scotland won the silver and Kenneth Parr of England took the bronze. It was Phelps’ second gold of the games, and on his 41st birthday.
Boxer fined for fighting
Sean McComb, a 25-year-old boxer from Northern Ireland, was fined 756 Australian dollars (US$580) and banned from the Gold Coast nightclub district after an altercation with security overnight.
Local media reported McComb had been drinking with friends when he was removed from the nightclub, and police were called when McComb tried to re-enter the club. Police said McComb was arrested and issued with an infringement notice for public nuisance and violence.
McComb’s night out came after he was beaten by England’s Luke McCormack in the 64-kilogram division on Sunday.