India’s Mohammed Anas Yahiya ran the race of his life and finished a creditable fourth with a new National record in the men’s 400m final in the athletics events of the XXI Commonwealth Games here on Tuesday.
A packed Carrara stadium had waited patiently for the big event of the night and they were not disappointed as Issac Makwala (Botswana) took his first major championship gold medal with a well-executed race at 44.35s. Team-mate Baboloki Thebe was second at 45.09s and Jamaican Javon Francis third with 45.11s
With the heavens opening up during the race, it was quite tough for the runners to guide their way back home. But Makawala proved not to be bothered in any way as he crept ahead leaving the others to fight it out. Anas, the rank outsider, stuck up the rest and fought till the end before improving upon his own National record of 45.32s, with a finish in 45.31s.
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Likewise, it was a Jamaican 1-2 finish in the men’s 110m hurdles, as
Ronald Levy with a strong finish pipped countryman Hansle Parchment to win the gold medal in 13.19s. Nicholas Hough (Australia) took bronze.
Grenada found its second gold medal after Kirani James through Lindon Victor who compiled a total of 8,303 points in the ten events over two days. Pierce Lepage (Canada) took silver with a personal best total of 8,171 points, pushing the home team’s Cedric Dubler (7,983 points) to the third spot.
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In the final race of the night, Caster Semenya (South Africa) claimed gold in the women’s 1,500m unleashing her customary kick with 250m to go and clock a new Games record of 4:00.71. Beatrice Chepkoech (Kenya) followed in 4:03.09 and Melissa Courtney took bronze in 4:03.44.
Julia Ratcliffe won New Zealand its second gold medal taking the top spot in women’s hammer throw with a winning heave of 69.94m and ahead of the Australian pair of Alexandra Hulley (68.20m) and Lara Nielsen (65.03m).
In the pit, Kimberly Williams (Jamaica) successfully defended the women’s triple jump gold medal with a last gasp effort of 14.64m, that pushed Shanieka Ricketts, the till then leader to the second position and 12 cm adrift. Thea Lafond won for Dominica its first ever medal in the Games history, taking bronze with 13.92m.
Besides Anas and his fine run, there was a bit more for Indian athletics to celebrate as teenager Hima Das, though finishing third in her semifinal heats, qualified for Wednesday’s final and became the first woman athlete to enter the track final in an individual event.
Das was timed at a personal best of 51.53s. Ayyasamy Dharun clocked his second career best time of 49.85s in the men’s 400m hurdles, but in finishing fifth in his heats, he was unable to make progress.
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