Commonwealth Games: Superb silver for Eilidh Doyle in 400m hurdles

SCOTLAND captain Eilidh Doyle produced one of the best performances of her career to secure a brilliant silver medal in the women's 400m hurdles.
Scotland's Eilidh Doyle reacts after winning silver in the 400m hurdles PICTURE: PAScotland's Eilidh Doyle reacts after winning silver in the 400m hurdles PICTURE: PA
Scotland's Eilidh Doyle reacts after winning silver in the 400m hurdles PICTURE: PA

The 31-year-old repeated her result from Glasgow 2014 but, four years on and in a tougher race than that famous night at Hampden, the team’s flagbearer delivered a technically flawless display of hurdling and showed good pace off the last two hurdles to move into second behind the favourite Janieve Russell of Jamaica, who won gold in 54.33.

With the great Usain Bolt in the Carrara Stadium stands to witness a Jamaican gold, Doyle clocked 54.80 to win her 15th major championship medal, cementing here position as Scotland’s most decorated athlete of all time. Wenda Nel of South Africa took the bronze.

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Doyle, who has now won silver at three successive Commonwealth Games, said: “I’m absolutely delighted to come away with a medal. I had to focus on my own race and execute the right stride pattern. It was a nice clean race. I’ve got a really good team around me, they have been brilliant.”

Scotland’s Jake Wightman was fourth in a dramatic 800m final which saw fast-finishing Englishman Kyle Langford make a trademark thrilling home straight charge from the back of the field to almost snatch gold, with Kenya’s Wycliffe Kinyamal just holding him off.

Wightman was just pipped to the podium by Luke Mathews of Australia, who held on for bronze.

That silver was a boost for England after a trying week on the track took a fresh disappointing twist when Zharnel Hughes won the 200m final only to be swiftly disqualified for running out of his lane in the closing stages.

The Anguilla-born 22-year-old exploded into a good lead off the bend but started to lose his form towards the finish and swung an arm out into the lane of the fast-chasing Jareem Richards of Trinidad & Tobago.

Scotland's Eilidh Doyle, Jamaica's Janieve Russell and South Africa's Wenda Nel celebrate with their medals. PICTURE: PAScotland's Eilidh Doyle, Jamaica's Janieve Russell and South Africa's Wenda Nel celebrate with their medals. PICTURE: PA
Scotland's Eilidh Doyle, Jamaica's Janieve Russell and South Africa's Wenda Nel celebrate with their medals. PICTURE: PA

Hughes was doing a lap of honour when the news came through of the DQ, which gave Richards the gold and also a promotion to a first ever Northern Irish Commonwealth sprint medal as Leon Reid took bronze.

England’s Dina Asher-Smith won bronze in the women’s 200m. She clocked 22.29 seconds to finish behind winner Shaunae Miller-Uibo of the Bahamas and Jamaica’s Shericka Jackson, who claimed silver.

Asher-Smith held off the challenge from Elaine Thompson, the reigning 100m Olympic champion, to take third.

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English hot favourite Katarina Johnson-Thompson leads the heptathlon standings after the first three events.

Usain Bolt takes in the athletics action with Australian actor Chris Hemsworth. PICTURE: Getty ImagesUsain Bolt takes in the athletics action with Australian actor Chris Hemsworth. PICTURE: Getty Images
Usain Bolt takes in the athletics action with Australian actor Chris Hemsworth. PICTURE: Getty Images

Away from the athletics stadium, the Scotland’s women’s triples had to settle for silver as they lost their gold medal match to Australia.

Following on from his historic bronze in the 1m springboard yesterday, diver James Heatly posted a solid fifth-place finish in the 3m springboard, with England’s James Laugher winning his second gold in as many days.