Commonwealth Games athletics: Bolt reigns at Hampden

USAIN Bolt brought down the curtain on the Glasgow 2014 athletics programme by anchoring the Jamaican team to victory in the sprint relay.
Usain Bolt wins the final of the men's 4 x 100m relay at Hampden. Picture: AFP/GettyUsain Bolt wins the final of the men's 4 x 100m relay at Hampden. Picture: AFP/Getty
Usain Bolt wins the final of the men's 4 x 100m relay at Hampden. Picture: AFP/Getty

The 100m world record-holder danced along to the Proclaimers’ 500 Miles while waiting for the race to start, a sign of how relaxed he was about the race, but he also took it seriously enough to ensure his quartet set a new Games record of 37.58 seconds.

England were second and Trinidad & Tobago third, and the heavy rain that had forced a delay in the field events had the good grace to let up for the last race of the day.

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Scotland’s Chris O’Hare came sixth in the final of the men’s 1,500m, briefly challenging for the lead with 150m to go before being outkicked.

James Magut took gold to help ensure Kenya stayed top of the track-and-field medals programme.

The home 4x400m men’s relay team went one better than O’Hare, coming fifth in their final.

For a team who had only reached the qualifying standard to get into the Games a month or so back, it was another impressive run, just outside the national record they had set the day before in more propitious conditions.

There were three Scots in the final of the women’s 5,000m, among them Steph Twell, who came fourth in the event at the last Commonwealth Games.

Laura Whittle was first home in sixth, followed by Beth Potter in ninth.

Twell, who has had serious injuries to contend with for most of the time since 2010, was 14th.

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