Ratcliffe adds silver to Games medal collection

Make that three Commonwealth Games medals in Julia Ratcliffe’s collection.

She couldn’t defend her women’s hammer title in Birmingham yesterday, but walked away with silver at Alexander Stadium, eight years after also finishing second in Glasgow.

The 29-year-old was content with that, knowing Canadian world silver medallist Camryn Rogers was in a different class on the night.

However, for a while it looked like the gold medal favourite might self-destruct and hand Ratcliffe the gold medal.

It was shades of Kiwi Lauren Bruce during qualifying – Rogers recording fouls with her first two throws, including one she launched into the cage.

However, staring down the barrel of a shock elimination at the cut-off (top eight after first three throws), she unleashed a 74.08m bomb.

One of just two legitimate throws the Canadian landed, it was her best throw on a night Ratcliffe registered a best of 69.63m – well shy of her personal-best (73.55m).

Fellow Kiwi Nicole Bradley missed the cut and finished ninth (63.10m).

Having changed her shoes in a bid to generate more speed during her wind-up, Ratcliffe’s fifth effort appeared destined to go beyond 70m, only for her to spray it outside the sector.

‘‘I was so close on that fifth throw, it just went out the side. Nearly got there, but that’s all right, silver is not a bad back up,’’ Ratcliffe said.

‘‘I knew I was going to have to throw big to get over that 74, and knew that 69 was probably pretty safe for the silver.’’

After 21-year-old Sam Tanner became the second-fastest Kiwi over 1500m all-time during the morning session, Geordie Beamish finished sixth in the men’s 5000m final and Portia Bing was seventh in the women’s 400m hurdles final yesterday.

Tanner was jumping up and down, hands in the air.

‘‘I think I’m the happiest sixthplaced getter ever. [I’m 21] and running 3.31. I’m stoked,’’ Tanner said afterwards.

Of course, he wanted a medal. But, having hung tough in a sharply-paced final, he’d just knocked a whopping 3.03sec off his personal-best, clocking 3min 31.34sec in a thrilling race, won by Australian Oliver Hoare in a Games record 3min 30.12sec.

Now the second-fastest Kiwi over 1500m, having moved ahead of John Walker and Rod Dixon on the all-time list, he also moved significantly closer to one of his primary goals – mentor and Commonwealth Games gold medallist Nick Willis’ national record (3min 29.66sec), which he aimed to make his ‘‘fast’’.

‘‘Monster PB. I’m frothing. Look at me. This is the Comm Games, this is insane. I’m stoked. I am a little bit lost for words.

‘‘I had two goals. One: stay relaxed. Two: be the last person to shoot my shot in the last 100. Have the last bullet in the gun. So, I was a little off the pace, but the last 100 . . . I’d like to see the splits because I felt like I was closing on those top guys.’’