Gold Coast, Australia, April 8-15—With storm clouds brewing on the horizon for Caster Semenya’s career, the embattled South African focused on the task at hand and dominated the middle distances at the 21st Commonwealth Games with a pair of meet records.
After a 4:05.86 heat in the 1500, Semenya ran from behind and used a 60.2 kick to outleg Kenya’s Beatrice Chepkoech on the final lap of the next day’s final, crossing the line in a national record 4:00.71.
Said the winner, “If I say I will do something, I will do it. I’m ready for anything.”
After a day of rest, Semenya came back to lead 800 qualifiers with her 1:59.26. The next evening, she showed similar dominance by leading from the gun to negative-split her 1:56.68.
That left Kenyan Margaret Wambui (1:58.07) well behind. Jamaica’s Natoya Goule grabbed bronze in 1:58.82.
“I’m still young,” said Semenya, 27. “What’s important now is to be able to win every race that I run.”
Isaac Makwala impressed with a 44.35 lap in the 400, adding his trademark pushups at the finish as if to show what he might have done if allowed to race his main event in London last year.
That was one of a raft of world-leading marks that included a 48.25 for Kyron McMaster in the hurdles. Janieve Russell of Jamaica won the women’s race in 54.33 with a world-leading 54.01 heat.
One of the most shocking wins came in the steeple, where Celliphine Chespol was outkicked on the final lap by Jamaica’s Aisha Praught Leer, 9:21.00–9:22.61.
On the field, Kathryn Mitchell of Australia lobbed the javelin 226-1 (68.92), a national record that made her No. 7 all-time.
Kiwi Tom Walsh, readying for a sequence of meets against the U.S.’s best, won the shot easily at 70-3 (21.41), but his biggest put was a 73-8 (22.45) that rated as the farthest qualifying-round throw in history.
COMMONWEALTH GAMES MEN’S RESULTS
Gold Coast, Australia April 8-15 (4/08—5K, 20W, SPq, HT; 4/09—100, SP; 4/10—400, 110H, Dec; 4/11—HJ, LJ; 4/12—200, 800, 400H, PV; 4/13—St, 10K, DT; 4/14—1500, 4×1, 4×4, TJ, JT; 4/15—Mar)
100(0.8): 1. Akani Simbine (SA) 10.03; 2. Henricho Bruintjies (SA) 10.17; 3. Yohan Blake (Jam) 10.19; 4. Seye Ogunlewe (Ngr) 10.19.
200(0.9): 1. Jereem Richards (Tri) 20.12; 2. Aaron Brown (Can) 20.34; 3. Leon Reid (NIr) 20.55; 4. Clarence Munyai (SA) 20.58.
400: 1. Isaac Makwala (Bot) 44.35 (WL);
2. Baboloki Thebe (Bot) 45.09; 3. Javon Francis (Jam) 45.11; 4. Y. Muhammed Anas (Ind) 45.31 NR.
800: 1. Wycliffe Kinyamal (Ken) 1:45.11; 2. Kyle Langford (Eng) 1:45.16 PR; 3. Luke Mathews (Aus) 1:45.60; 4. Jake Wightman (Sco) 1:45.82.
1500: 1. Elijah Manangoi (Ken) 3:34.78 (WL);
2. Timothy Cheruiyot (Ken) 3:35.17; 3. Wightman 3:35.97; 4. Charlie Grice (Eng) 3:37.43.
St: 1. Conseslus Kipruto (Ken) 8:10.08 (WL);
2. Abraham Kibiwot (Ken) 8:10.62; 3. Amos Kirui (Ken) 8:12.24; 4. Matt Hughes (Can) 8:12.33.
5000: 1. Joshua Cheptegei (Uga) 13:50.83; 2. Mo Ahmed (Can) 13:52.78; 3. Edward Zakayo (Ken) 13:54.06; 4. Thomas Ayeko (Uga) 13:54.78.
10,000: 1. Cheptegei 27:19.62 (WL);
2. Ahmed 27:20.56; 3. Rodgers Chumo (Ken) 27:28.66; 4. Jacob Kiplimo (Uga) 27:30.25 (WJL).
110H(-0.3): 1. Ronald Levy (Jam) 13.19 (WL);
2. Hansle Parchment (Jam) 13.22; 3. Nicholas Hough (Aus) 13.38 PR; 4. Milan Trajkovic (Cyp) 13.42.
400H: 1. Kyron McMaster (BVI) 48.25 (WL);
2. Jeffery Gibson (Bah) 49.10; 3. Jaheel Hyde (Jam) 49.16; 4. Jack Green (Eng) 49.18.
Mar: 1. Michael Shelley (Aus) 2:16:46; 2. Solomon Mutai (Uga) 2:19:02; 3. Robbie Simpson (Sco) 2:19:36; 4. Kevin Seaward (NIr) 2:19:54.
20W: 1. Dane Bird-Smith (Aus) 1:19:34; 2. Tom Bosworth (Eng) 1:19:38 NR; 3. Samuel Gathimba (Ken) 1:19:51; 4. Benjamin Thorne (Can) 1:20:49.
4 x 100: 1. England 38.13 (WL) (Arthur, Hughes, Kilty, Aikines-Aryeetey);
2. South Africa 38.24 NR; 3. Jamaica 38.35; 4. Australia 38.58.
4 x 400: 1. Botswana 3:01.78 (Maotoanong 46.5, Thebe 44.3, Nkobolo 46.38, Isaac 44.54); 2. Bahamas 3:01.92 (Ferguson 46.0, Smith 46.0, Newbold 45.31, Russell 44.52); 3. Jamaica 3:01.97 (Gayle 46.2, Gaye 44.8, Rose 46.40, Francis 44.54); 4. Trinidad 3:02.85 (Lendore 45.8, Richards 44.6, Quow 46.70, Cedenio 45.71).
Field Events
HJ: 1. Brandon Starc (Aus) 7-7¼ (2.32) PR (outWL);
2. Jamal Wilson (Bah) 7-6½ (2.30) =PR; 3. Django Lovett (Can) 7-6½ PR; 4. Donald Thomas (Bah) 7-5¼ (2.27).
PV: 1. Kurtis Marschall (Aus) 18-8¼ (5.70); 2. Shawn Barber (Can) 18-6½ (5.65); 3. Luke Cutts (Eng) 17-10½ (5.45); 4. Adam Hague (Eng) 17-10½.
LJ: 1. Luvo Manyonga (SA) 27-7¼ (8.41) (out WL) (27-½, 26-11¼, f, 27-4¾, f, 27-7¼) (8.24, 8.21, f, 8.35, f, 8.41);
2. Henry Frayne (Aus) 27-4 (8.33) (26-3, 27-4, f, 26-6¼, f, f) (8.00, 8.33, f, 8.08, f, f); 3. Ruswahl Samaai (SA) 26-11¾ (8.22) (26-5½, 26-11¾, 26-9¾, 25-10¾, 26-10, 26-6¼) (8.06, 8.22, 8.17, 7.89, 8.18, 8.08); 4. Tajay Gayle (Jam) 26-7¾ (8.12) PR.
TJ: 1. Troy Doris (Guy) 55-4¾ (16.88); 2. Yordanis Durañona (Dom) 55-3¾ (16.86); 3. Marcel Mayack (Cmr) 55-1½ (16.80) PR); 4. Arpinder Singh (Ind) 54-0 (16.46).
SP: 1. Tom Walsh (NZ) 70-3 (21.41); 2. Chuk Enekwechi (Ngr) 69-4¼ (21.14) PR; 3. Tim Nedow (Can) 68-7¼ (20.91); 4. O’Dayne Richards (Jam) 68-3 (20.80).
Qual: Walsh 73-8 (22.45) (farthest qualifier ever).
DT: 1. Fedrick Dacres (Jam) 223-9 (68.20); 2. Traves Smikle (Jam) 209-11 (63.98); 3. Apostolos Parellis (Cyp) 208-8 (63.61); 4. Matt Denny (Aus) 205-2 (62.53).
HT: 1. Nick Miller (Eng) 263-4 (80.26) NR (WL);
2. Matt Denny (Aus) 245-8 (74.88) PR; 3. Mark Dry (Sco) 239-11 (73.12); 4. Adam Keenan (Can) 236-8 (72.15).
JT: 1. Neeraj Chopra (Ind) 283-8 (86.47); 2. Hamish Peacock (Aus) 270-11 (82.59);
3. Anderson Peters (Grn-MsSt) 269-8 (82.20) (CL) (8, x C);
4. Phil-Mar Janse van Rensburg (SA) 261-11 (79.83).
Dec: 1. Lindon Victor (Grn) 8303 (10.70, 23-9/7.24, 51-9¾/15.79, 6-7/2.01, 49.48, 14.87, 171-8/52.32, 15-¼.60, 233-3/71.10, 5:04.75);
2. Pierce LePage (Can) 8171 PR (10.62, 24-5/7.44, 45-10½/13.98, 6-9½/2.07, 47.81, 14.71, 144-0/43.90, 16-¾/4.90, 191-1/58.24, 4:58.00);
3. Cedric Dubler (Aus) 7983; 4. Kurt Felix (Grn) 7756.
COMMONWEALTH WOMEN’S RESULTS
(4/08—20W; 4/09—100, 10K; 4/10—1500, TJ, HT; 4/11—400, St, JT; 4/12—200, 400H, LJ, DT; 4/13—800, 100H, PV, SP, Hept; 4/14—5000, 4×1, 4×4, HJ; 4/15—Mar)
100(1.0): 1. Michelle-Lee Ahye (Tri) 11.14; 2. Christania Williams (Jam) 11.21; 3. Gayon Evans (Jam) 11.22 PR.
200(0.9): 1. Shaunae Miller-Uibo (Bah) 22.09; 2. Shericka Jackson (Jam) 22.18 PR; 3. Dina Asher-Smith (Eng) 22.29; 4. Elaine Thompson (Jam) 22.30.
400: 1. Amantle Montsho (Bot) 50.15; 2. Anastasia Le-Roy (Jam) 50.57 PR; 3. Stephenie Ann McPherson (Jam) 50.93; 4. Christine Botlogetswe (Bot) 51.17 PR.
800: 1. Caster Semenya (SA) 1:56.68 (WL) (58.66/58.02);
2. Margaret Wambui (Ken) 1:58.07; 3. Natoya Goule (Jam) 1:58.82 PR; 4. Winnie Nanyondo (Uga) 2:00.36.
1500: 1. Caster Semenya (SA) 4:00.71 NR (WL) (60.2);
2. Beatrice Chepkoech (Ken) 4:03.09 PR (63.82, 66.99 [2:10.81], 65.42 [3:16.23]); 3. Melissa Courtney (Wal) 4:03.44 PR; 4. Linden Hall (Aus) 4:03.67.
St: 1. Aisha Praught Leer (Jam) 9:21.00 (WL);
2. Celliphine Chespol (Ken) 9:22.61 (WJL); 3. Purity Kirui (Ken) 9:25.74; 4. Rosie Clarke (Eng) 9:36.29.
5000: 1. Hellen Obiri (Ken) 15:13.11 (WL);
2. Margaret Kipkemboi (Ken) 15:15.28; 3. Laura Weightman (Eng) 15:25.84; 4. Juliet Chekwel (Uga) 15:30.17.
10,000: 1. Stella Chesang (Uga) 31:45.30; 2. Stacy Ndiwa (Ken) 31:46.36 PR; 3. Mercyline Chelangat (Uga) 31:48.41; 4. Beatrice Mutai (Ken) 31:49.81 PR.
100H(0.2): 1. Tobi Amusan (Ngr) 12.68; 2. Danielle Williams (Jam) 12.78; 3. Yanique Thompson (Jam) 12.97; 4. Michelle Jenneke (Aus) 13.07.
400H: 1. Janieve Russell (Jam) 54.33 (54.01h WL); 2. Eilidh Doyle (Sco) 54.80; 3. Wenda Nel (SA) 54.96; 4. Rhonda Whyte (Jam) 55.02.
Mar: 1. Helaria Johannes (Nam) 2:32:40; 2. Lisa Weightman (Aus) 2:33:23; 3. Jessica Trengove (Aus) 2:34:09; 4. Sheila Jerotich (Ken) 2:36:19.
20W: 1. Jemima Montag (Aus) 1:32:50; 2. Alana Barber (NZ) 1:34:18; 3. Bethan Davies (Wal) 1:36:08; 4. Khushbir Kaur (Ind) 1:39:21.
4 x 100: 1. England 42.46 (WL) (Philip, Asher-Smith, Williams, Ugen);
2. Jamaica 42.52 (Williams, Morrison, Evans, Thompson); 3. Nigeria 42.75 (Udo-Gabriel, Okagbare, Amusan, Chukwuma); 4. Trinidad 43.50 (St. Fort, Hackett, Thomas, Selvon).
4 x 400: 1. Jamaica 3:24.00 (out WL) (Day 52.0, Le-Roy 50.9, Russell 50.62, Ann McPherson 50.45);
2. Nigeria 3:25.29 (P. George 51.7, Nathaniel Onome 52.0, Idamadudu Oghenefejiro 51.25, Ajayi 50.29); 3. Botswana 3:26.86 NR (Galefele 53.3, Botlogetswe 50.9, Mathlaku 53.0, Montsho 49.59); 4. England 3:27.21 (Onuora 52.2, Agyapong 51.5, Shakes-Drayton 52.33, Diamond 51.07).
Field Events
HJ: 1. Levern Spencer (StL) 6-4¾ (1.95) (out WL);
2. Morgan Lake (Eng) 6-4 (1.93); 3. Nicola McDermott (Aus) 6-3¼ (1.91) PR; 4. Alyx Treasure (Can) 6-3¼.
PV: 1. Alysha Newman (Can) 15-7 (4.75) =NR; 2. Eliza McCartney (NZ) 15-5 (4.70); 3. Nina Kennedy (Aus) 15-1 (4.60); 4. Holly Bradshaw (Eng) 15-1.
LJ: 1. Christabel Nettey (Can) 22-5¼ (6.84); 2. Brooke Stratton (Aus) 22-2½ (6.77); 3. Shara Proctor (Eng) 22-1¾ (6.75); 4. Lorraine Ugen (Eng) 21-11½ (6.69).
TJ: 1. Kim Williams (Jam) 48-½ (14.64) PR (out WL) ;
2. Shanieka Ricketts (Jam) 47-7¾ (14.52); 3. Thea Lafond (Dom) 45-8 (13.92); 4. Lerato Schele (Les) 44-6¼ (13.57) NR.
SP: 1. Danniel Thomas-Dodd (Jam) 63-6¼ (19.36) NR; 2. Valerie Adams (NZ) 61-4¼ (18.70) ; 3. Brittany Crew (Can) 60-1¼ (18.32); 4. Cleopatra Borel (Tri) 59-2¾ (18.05).
DT: 1. Dani Stevens (Aus) 223-11 (68.26); 2. Seema Antil (Ind) 198-2 (60.41); 3. Navjeet Kaur Dhillon (Ind) 188-5 (57.43); 4. Siositina Hakeai (NZ) 187-6 (57.16).
HT: 1. Julia Ratcliffe (NZ) 229-5 (69.94); 2. Alex Hulley (Aus) 223-9 (68.20); 3. Lara Nielsen (Aus) 213-4 (65.03); 4. Sultana Frizell (Can) 209-9 (63.94).
JT: 1. Kathryn Mitchell (Aus) 226-1 (68.92) NR (WL) (7, x W) (226-1, f, f, 204-9, 223-7) (68.92, f, f, 62.40, 68.14);
2. Kelsey-Lee Roberts (Aus) 209-7 (63.89); 3. Sunette Viljoen (SA) 203-8 (62.08); 4. Liz Gleadle (Can) 196-4 (59.85).
Hept: 1. Katarina Johnson-Thompson (Eng) 6255 (WL) (13.54, 6-1½/1.87, 37-10½/11.54, 23.56 [3765–1], 21-4/6.50, 132-9/40.46, 2:21.24 [2490]);
2. Nina Schultz (Can-KsSt) 6133 PR (CL) (13.47, 6-½/1.84, 39-9¾/12.13, 25.02 [3639–2], 20-3¾/6.19, 141-5/43.11, 2:17.40); 3. Niamh Emerson (Eng) 6043 PR (WJL) (14.08, 6-½/1.84, 39-9¾/12.13, 24.83 [3568–4], 19-10¾/6.06, 132-4/40.34, 2:12.18);
4. Celeste Mucci (Aus) 5915 NJR.□
