DISASTER DAY!
A shocker for Pozzi ’n Co
from IAN GORDON on the Gold Coast ENGLAND’S hopes of further glory at the Commonwealth Games were washed away on a Terrible Tuesday in Australia.
Andrew Pozzi, in the 110m hurdles, and hammer thrower Sophie Hitchon both flopped as the rain lashed down on the Carrara Stadium.
Another medal opportunity went begging when two-time defending champion Tom Daley pulled out of the 10m platform diving, but he will take part in the synchro event.
England’s No.1 bowls player Robert Paxton crashed to defeat against Reggae Roller Andrew Newell, the Claphamborn Jamaican who had lost all six of his previous games.
Beach volleyballers Victoria Palmer and Jessica Grimson were humbled 2-1 by a pair from the South Pacific island group of Vanuatu.
To cap a shocking day, cyclist Melissa Lowther was excluded from the time trial due to an unticked box on her entry form, leaving her and British Cycling fuming.
She said: “I can’t put into words how disappointed I am to have been missed off the list due to an admin error.
“While Team England have apologised I’m still gutted not to have the opportunity to represent my country after all the hard miles I’ve put in.”
World indoor champion Pozzi qualified fastest for the final but could only manage to finish sixth, admitting that his run had been littered with mistakes, while Olympic bronze medallist Hitchon didn’t even register a throw.
Pozzi’s room-mate Adam Gemili, who pulled out of Monday’s 100m final with a thigh injury, said that the scheduling of the Games was not an excuse.
“Andy’s gutted,” he said. “It’s not a very successful room for us.
“We all knew the Games were going to be in April and had plenty of time to prepare for that. It shouldn’t be an excuse for anyone.
“It’s just unfortunate circumstances and a bit of bad luck. It’s sport, that’s what sport does. It’s so unpredictable.
“If you knew who was going to win every time then people would stop watching. It shows it’s competitive.”
England’s squad of 600, including around 200 support staff, is the biggest and most expensive sent to an overseas Games.