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| Eilidh Child wins emotional silver medal at the Commonwealth Games | Eilidh Child wins emotional silver medal at the Commonwealth Games |
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| The Proclaimers’ catchiest hit has been sung plenty at this Commonwealth Games but never as lustily as when Eilidh Child took silver in the 400m hurdles on Thursday night. A standing ovation of 40,000 clapped and stamped her around her victory lap after the poster girl for this Games won a second Commonwealth medal to add to the one she took in Delhi four years ago. | The Proclaimers’ catchiest hit has been sung plenty at this Commonwealth Games but never as lustily as when Eilidh Child took silver in the 400m hurdles on Thursday night. A standing ovation of 40,000 clapped and stamped her around her victory lap after the poster girl for this Games won a second Commonwealth medal to add to the one she took in Delhi four years ago. |
| It was not the gold she had hoped for and so Scotland’s 20-year wait for that particular metal goes on. But it was the high point of a great night for the home nations’ women and for a crowd who have proven themselves more than generously inclined towards their southerly neighbours. Child’s race was always going to be the main show but the dramatic entrance of young English talent stole several scenes and brought medals galore. | It was not the gold she had hoped for and so Scotland’s 20-year wait for that particular metal goes on. But it was the high point of a great night for the home nations’ women and for a crowd who have proven themselves more than generously inclined towards their southerly neighbours. Child’s race was always going to be the main show but the dramatic entrance of young English talent stole several scenes and brought medals galore. |
| After a rain-soaked evening, it seemed a golden omen for Child when the sun emerged just as she appeared on the track. She started fast, matching Kaliese Spencer for pace round the top bend, moving clear of Spencer’s team-mate Janieve Russell in third. But Spencer pulled away and Child finished nearly a second behind her. “I knew I would have to be on my A game to beat Kaliese and she ran faster than my PB there so I think the right lady won,” she said afterwards. | After a rain-soaked evening, it seemed a golden omen for Child when the sun emerged just as she appeared on the track. She started fast, matching Kaliese Spencer for pace round the top bend, moving clear of Spencer’s team-mate Janieve Russell in third. But Spencer pulled away and Child finished nearly a second behind her. “I knew I would have to be on my A game to beat Kaliese and she ran faster than my PB there so I think the right lady won,” she said afterwards. |
| The 27-year-old local hero admitted that the pressure of the occasion had been nerve-racking and it had been a nervous couple of days. “I’m relieved,” she said. “I had every emotion going on and I was just trying not to get carried away with the emotion.” But there was no suggestion of disappointment with the result. “I put down a really good race. I stepped off that track knowing I had given it everything and I’m just delighted to come away with a silver medal … I’m going to enjoy the rest of tonight.” | The 27-year-old local hero admitted that the pressure of the occasion had been nerve-racking and it had been a nervous couple of days. “I’m relieved,” she said. “I had every emotion going on and I was just trying not to get carried away with the emotion.” But there was no suggestion of disappointment with the result. “I put down a really good race. I stepped off that track knowing I had given it everything and I’m just delighted to come away with a silver medal … I’m going to enjoy the rest of tonight.” |
| England’s trio of sprinters – the oldest of whom, Bianca Williams, is 22 – had a perfect start to the evening, with all of them qualifying for the 200m final. Jodie Williams (no relation) qualified second behind Nigeria’s Blessing Okagbare, who had taken the 100m title and was the strong favourite here. | |
| That might have been achievement enough for the 20-year-old who cruelly missed her place at the London Olympics through injury but she ran Okagbare just as hard in the final and her team-mates fought with her. She, her namesake Bianca and Anyika Onuora secured an England 2-3-4, leaving a field of Jamaicans in their wake. “I’m in a big world of shock right now,” said Jodie, as she emerged from the track. “I was gritting my teeth and giving it my all. | That might have been achievement enough for the 20-year-old who cruelly missed her place at the London Olympics through injury but she ran Okagbare just as hard in the final and her team-mates fought with her. She, her namesake Bianca and Anyika Onuora secured an England 2-3-4, leaving a field of Jamaicans in their wake. “I’m in a big world of shock right now,” said Jodie, as she emerged from the track. “I was gritting my teeth and giving it my all. |
| “ This is just the start,” she added. “This is a massive thing – we beat the Jamaicans. People are quick to write off women’s sprinters but we have shown that we can peak on this stage and in front of a strong field.” | “ This is just the start,” she added. “This is a massive thing – we beat the Jamaicans. People are quick to write off women’s sprinters but we have shown that we can peak on this stage and in front of a strong field.” |
| There was a dramatic denouement, too, in the long jump, where England’s prospects had suffered the worst possible start. Shara Proctor, who might have had hopes of gold while Okagbare busied herself with the 200m, managed only two steps of a run-up before clutching at her left thigh and leaving the arena with her hoodie pulled sorrowfully around her face. But Jazmin Sawyers, only 20, produced a 6.30 and a 6.40 to see her into bronze medal position behind Nigeria’s Ese Brume and Canada’s Christabel Nettey. | There was a dramatic denouement, too, in the long jump, where England’s prospects had suffered the worst possible start. Shara Proctor, who might have had hopes of gold while Okagbare busied herself with the 200m, managed only two steps of a run-up before clutching at her left thigh and leaving the arena with her hoodie pulled sorrowfully around her face. But Jazmin Sawyers, only 20, produced a 6.30 and a 6.40 to see her into bronze medal position behind Nigeria’s Ese Brume and Canada’s Christabel Nettey. |
| Sawyers has also showcased her explosive power in bobsleigh and, in her last jump, she unleashed its full extent with a season’s best 6.54 that stole silver from Nettey. | Sawyers has also showcased her explosive power in bobsleigh and, in her last jump, she unleashed its full extent with a season’s best 6.54 that stole silver from Nettey. |
| To top it off, there was a bronze for the 18-year-old England wheelchair racer Jade Jones – her first senior medal – in the T54 1500m. It was an impressive achievement for a young woman whose aim here was a top-five finish, in a race rendered particularly difficult by the treacherous conditions. | To top it off, there was a bronze for the 18-year-old England wheelchair racer Jade Jones – her first senior medal – in the T54 1500m. It was an impressive achievement for a young woman whose aim here was a top-five finish, in a race rendered particularly difficult by the treacherous conditions. |
| “It’s a bit slippy, but I knew I had to keep my cool,” said Jones, and she did, staying with Australia’s Angela Ballard and the Canadian Diane Roy as the more experienced pair pulled away from the pack in the final lap to take gold and silver respectively. | “It’s a bit slippy, but I knew I had to keep my cool,” said Jones, and she did, staying with Australia’s Angela Ballard and the Canadian Diane Roy as the more experienced pair pulled away from the pack in the final lap to take gold and silver respectively. |
| The crowd will be hoping this streak continues on Friday. Jessica Judd, who has the look of a woodland nymph when she runs, will be back with her hair streaming loose behind her in Friday’s 800m final, after qualifying alongside Jenny Meadows and Scotland’s Lynsey Sharp, who went through as fastest losers. | The crowd will be hoping this streak continues on Friday. Jessica Judd, who has the look of a woodland nymph when she runs, will be back with her hair streaming loose behind her in Friday’s 800m final, after qualifying alongside Jenny Meadows and Scotland’s Lynsey Sharp, who went through as fastest losers. |