St Lucia, India celebrate ‘Club Games’ firsts
Gold Coast. England’s sprinters put Jamaica in the shade and Saint Lucia celebrated their first-ever gold medal as the Commonwealth Games came to a head on Saturday.
On a busy final day of full competition, a farmer’s son became India’s first javelin champion as Saint Lucia’s Levern Spencer made history in the high jump.
Spencer, twice a bronze-medallist, leapt 1.95 metre to win a battle with England’s Morgan Lake and finally bring gold to the tiny Caribbean island -- 56 years after their Games debut.
“It’s a really good feeling and I am happy I’m the one making history for my country,” said the 33-year-old, competing at her fifth Commonwealth Games.
“In the last two editions of the Commonwealth Games I got bronze so I was determined to work hard this time to win gold.”
England shot to 4x100m relay double, impressing the watching Usain Bolt so much the towering Jamaican tweeted that he was having second thoughts about his retirement.
“They need him to beat us now! Last time in Glasgow we gave the baton ahead of him and they can’t handle us without him,” English anchor Harry Aikines-Aryeetey fired back.
Neeraj Chopra, 20, hurled 86.47m to win the men’s javelin, becoming only the third Indian man to claim athletics gold at the Commonwealths.
“I don’t remember which throw it was. I tried to get my personal best but I got my season best,” he said, after falling just one centimetre short of his best throw ever. (AFP)
- Skye high -
