Commonwealth Games: Libby Clegg wins record gold

PARALYMPIC sprinter Libby Clegg had the honour of winning Scotland’s record-equalling 33rd medal of the Games last night as she raced to a commanding victory in the T12 100 metres.

Libby Clegg and her guide Mikail Huggins celebrate their gold medals. Picture: Neil Hanna

The home nation’s previous best-ever tally of medals at a single Games was recorded eight years ago in Melbourne, and Clegg’s win meant that total was reached after only five days of the 11-day competition.

The blind athlete, disappointed by defeat just weeks ago in the Diamond League at Hampden, was the fastest athlete by more than a second in yesterday’s heats, showing she had regained her best form. In the final itself her victory was never in doubt, as she and guide runner Mikail Huggins crossed the line in 12.20 seconds to claim Scotland’s 13th gold medal of the Games.

Kemar Bailey-Cole of Jamaica won the men’s 100m in 10.00sec dead, beating England’s Adam Gemili into second place by a tenth of a second. Another Jamaican, Nickel Ashmeade, was third in 10.12.

Blessing Okagbare of Nigeria took the women’s 100m final in a Games record of 10.85sec, ahead of Veronica Campbell-Brown and Kerron Stewart, both of Jamaica.

In the women’s shot put final, the Scots trio of Susan McKelvie, Rachel Hunter and Myra Perkins were sixth, seventh and tenth respectively.