DJ Bolt helps to lower curtain

COLOURFUL CLOSING CEREMONY AS LIGHTS DIM Aussies dominated medals table with 80 golds on home patch.

Usain Bolt took a turn as DJ as the Gold Coast said goodbye to the Commonwealth Games yesterday after an 11-day tournament in which Australia topped the medals table by a distance.

The retired Jamaican superstar made a surprise appearance on the decks as the Games closed in a colourful ceremony.

Australia finished with 80 golds, way ahead of England’s 45 and India’s 26, in a tally that integrated para sports and was equally split between men and women for the first time.

“For those who delivered this event I say, ‘You beauty! You did us proud’,” said Queensland premier Annastacia Palaszczuk, as the Commonwealth flag was handed over to 2022 hosts Birmingham.

Australia dominated in the swimming pool and in track cycling, while Jamaica struggled in the sprint events.

Zero failed drug tests were reported during the event, although India twice fell foul of the Games’ “no needle policy” and had two athletes ordered home.

However, there were several protests from some 100 indigenous activists who dubbed them the “Stolenwealth Games”, a reference to Britain’s colonisation of Australia.

Yesterday, protesters were blocked from marching to the stadium by a heavy police presence, preventing a repeat of the tense confrontation before the opening ceremony.

Earlier, organisers were criticised for their medical response after marathon runner Callum Hawkins collapsed only two kilometres from victory and lay prone for some time before help finally arrived.

Officials in turn lashed out at spectators who took pictures of Hawkins as he lay in distress. Australia’s Michael Shelley ran past the Scot on his way to victory.

Australia also suffered setbacks on the last day when their women’s rugby team, the Olympic champions, lost a sudden-death thriller against New Zealand in the inaugural final.

Kelly Brazier scored from inside her own half to win it 17-12 in the first extra period and avenge New Zealand’s defeat to Australia in the 2016 Olympic final.

In the netball final heavy favourites Australia were also stunned by England when Helen Housby scored the winning goal in the last second to make it 52-51.

However, Australia thrashed Canada 87-47 in the men’s basketball final, Shelley won the marathon and David Palmer and Zac Alexander were crowned men’s doubles squash champions on the final day.

Helalia Johannes won the women’s marathon in 2:32.40, becoming Namibia’s first female gold medallist at the Commonwealth Games. – AFP