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| Commonwealth Games 2014: Renicks sisters kickstart Scottish gold hunt | Commonwealth Games 2014: Renicks sisters kickstart Scottish gold hunt |
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| In 63 extraordinary minutes the Glasgow Games burst into brilliant life as two Scottish sisters, Louise and Kimberley Renicks, both won individual gold medals in the judo and Hannah Miley triumphed in the pool. At the end of the first day, the Renicks household, in Coatbridge, out to the east of the city, had mustered more medals than the vast majority of the countries in the Commonwealth. The Renick family ranked third overall, ahead of India, Canada, and New Zealand. | In 63 extraordinary minutes the Glasgow Games burst into brilliant life as two Scottish sisters, Louise and Kimberley Renicks, both won individual gold medals in the judo and Hannah Miley triumphed in the pool. At the end of the first day, the Renicks household, in Coatbridge, out to the east of the city, had mustered more medals than the vast majority of the countries in the Commonwealth. The Renick family ranked third overall, ahead of India, Canada, and New Zealand. |
| Kimberley Renicks’ gold, in the -48kg category, was Scotland’s first of the Games. Her older sister, Louise, won the third, in the -52kg category. In between the two, swimmer Miley won the 400m individual medley in Tollcross. And to cap the evening Scottish swimmers finished first and second in the men’s 200m breaststroke. The twist was that 20-year-old Ross Murdoch won gold, ahead of Olympic silver medallist Michael Jamieson. | Kimberley Renicks’ gold, in the -48kg category, was Scotland’s first of the Games. Her older sister, Louise, won the third, in the -52kg category. In between the two, swimmer Miley won the 400m individual medley in Tollcross. And to cap the evening Scottish swimmers finished first and second in the men’s 200m breaststroke. The twist was that 20-year-old Ross Murdoch won gold, ahead of Olympic silver medallist Michael Jamieson. |
| “It’s unbelievable,” said Kimberley Renicks, a sentiment echoed across the nation. The Renicks sisters outstripped even the Brownlee brothers, Alistair and Jonny, who both won medals for England in the men’s triathlon earlier in the day. They had the misfortune to be competing against each other, so had to settle for a gold, which went to Alistair, and a silver, for Jonny. “I had heard the Brownlee brothers won for England,” said Louise Renicks, who is 31, five years older than Kimberley. “So now it is two families who can celebrate.” | |
| She had to watch her sister’s fight before she went out into the arena for her own final. Kimberley won easily, with an ippon, against India’s Sushila Likmabam. “I had to keep myself focussed,” Louise explained. She beat England’s Kelly Edwards, and broke down in tears as she stepped off the mat. “It was just such an emotional moment.” The sister’s parents were in the arena. Thomas Renicks, their father, runs his own judo club in Coatbridge. | She had to watch her sister’s fight before she went out into the arena for her own final. Kimberley won easily, with an ippon, against India’s Sushila Likmabam. “I had to keep myself focussed,” Louise explained. She beat England’s Kelly Edwards, and broke down in tears as she stepped off the mat. “It was just such an emotional moment.” The sister’s parents were in the arena. Thomas Renicks, their father, runs his own judo club in Coatbridge. |
| Patrick Miley was another proud father. He has coached his daughter, Hannah, since she was a young girl learning to swim in the 25m pool at the municipal sports centre in Inverurie. Miley trailed England’s Aimee Willmott by almost a second going into the final 100m of freestyle, but overtook her and finished in 4min 31.76sec, a new Games record. “It’s been a tough year,” she said. “I felt training was going well, but racing wasn’t great, which made me step back and re-evaluate things. This was an opportunity to show faith in the system and trust what me and my dad have done.” She, too, was in tears. “I’ve had to sacrifice a lot to focus on my sport. So to come here and swim a lifetime best has made it all worthwhile.” | Patrick Miley was another proud father. He has coached his daughter, Hannah, since she was a young girl learning to swim in the 25m pool at the municipal sports centre in Inverurie. Miley trailed England’s Aimee Willmott by almost a second going into the final 100m of freestyle, but overtook her and finished in 4min 31.76sec, a new Games record. “It’s been a tough year,” she said. “I felt training was going well, but racing wasn’t great, which made me step back and re-evaluate things. This was an opportunity to show faith in the system and trust what me and my dad have done.” She, too, was in tears. “I’ve had to sacrifice a lot to focus on my sport. So to come here and swim a lifetime best has made it all worthwhile.” |
| Jamieson, on the other hand, felt thoroughly fed-up with his silver medal, saying simply “it’s not good enough”. He seemed to think it was all “unbelievable” too, for different reasons.Murdoch has been in good form all season, but his winning time of 2min 7.3sec was a huge personal best, and only .29 off the world record. In all, then, the Scots won four gold medals in the space of three hours. They, at least, won’t be losing any sleep over the fact that this was the day Mo Farah dropped out of the Games. | Jamieson, on the other hand, felt thoroughly fed-up with his silver medal, saying simply “it’s not good enough”. He seemed to think it was all “unbelievable” too, for different reasons.Murdoch has been in good form all season, but his winning time of 2min 7.3sec was a huge personal best, and only .29 off the world record. In all, then, the Scots won four gold medals in the space of three hours. They, at least, won’t be losing any sleep over the fact that this was the day Mo Farah dropped out of the Games. |