Life after Bolt

Akani Simbine grabbed the spotlight and stunned Jamaica’s Yohan Blake as athletics began a new era without Usain Bolt. In cool conditions in Australia’s Gold Coast, Simbine stormed up lane seven to win his first major title. Blake, the fastest man into the final in 10.06, stumbled out of the blocks and dipped for bronze in a disappointing 10.19, behind silver-medallist Henricho Bruintjies. It was a chastening outing for Blake, 28, the 2011 world champion who holds the joint second fastest time in history, but whose career has long been overshadowed by the now retired Bolt. “I was stumbling all the way and I didn’t recover from it,” said Blake. “I’m disappointed because I’ve been feeling good. I didn’t get the start and I was all over the place. I couldn’t recover from it.”

reserved 20-year-old was emotional: “This 100 was amazing. I didn’t think I would ever medal in the 100.”

Le Clos took his 16th career Games medal by winning the 100m butterfly in a 50.65 championship record.

That podium finish brought him level with Australian Susie O’Neill as the most decorated Games swimmer of all time.

Dyan Buis and Charl du Toit took silver and bronze in the T38 100m final‚ with Du Toit breaking his world record in the more restrictive T37 class.

Christian Sadie took silver in the S7 50m freestyle.

The women’s four lawn bowlers battled bravely but had to settle for a silver medal after losing in the final to the world champions, Australia.

In Tuesday’s action, Caster Semenya will lead SA’s charge for gold as she competes in a 1,500m final, but will be missing the type of firepower she had faced at the 2017 world championships. She was the fastest of the semifinalists on Monday.

“The main thing was to take command of the race‚ see how we can run the splits,” she said. “I was happy with the splits.”

The swimming ends on Tuesday.