Reigning Olympic champion Elaine Thompson-Herah put her World Championships troubles behind her to storm to victory in the 100 metres final here Wednesday and clinch her first-ever Commonwealth Games medal.
Running out of lane four, the 30-year-old Jamaican clocked 10.95 seconds to cross the line first, with impressive St Lucian Julien Alfred grabbing silver in 11.01.
Great Britain’s Darryl Neita claimed bronze in 11.07 after recovering from a poor start.
Thompson-Herah started strongly but came under pressure from Alfred in lane six, before holding her nerve over the last 30 metres.
“I feel good. I could have had a better execution but I am still grateful to win my first Commonwealth title,” said Thompson-Herah, who swept the sprints at the 2016 Rio Olympics and last year’s Olympiad in Tokyo.
“I started out as a rookie in 2014. Then I was fourth in 2018 in the 200m. Now I have moved up to a gold, so I am grateful.”
Bahamian Tynia Gaither was second from last in 11.23 seconds while Jamaican Natalliah Whyte was last in 11.32.
Alfred had earlier won the opening semi-final in 11.04 while Thompson-Herah took the second semi-final in 11.05, with reigning champion Trinidadian Michelle-Lee Ahye finishing third in 11.29 to miss out.
Meanwhile, Kenyan Ferdinand Omanyala won the men’s final in 10.02 seconds, the Caribbean missing out on a presence after several disappointing results in the semi-finals.
Rikkoi Brathwaite of British Virgin Islands (10.31), Jamaican Conroy Jones (10.33), Guyana’s Emanuel Archibald (10.43), Trinidad and Tobago’s Eric Harrison (10.44) and Antiguan Cejhae Greene (10.45) all finished down the field in the first semi-final.
Jamaican Kemar Bailey-Cole was fourth in semi-final two in 10.25, Trinidadian Jerod Elcock was sixth in 10.38 while Nadale Buntin of St Kitts and Nevis (10.51) was last, all failing to advance.
Trinidadian Kion Benjamin (10.43) and St Lucian Stephan Charles (10.53) brought up the rear in the last semi-final.
In the field, Jamaica tasted more success when Danniel Thomas-Dodd copped silver in the women’s shot put, throwing a distance of 18.98 metres.
Canada’s Sarah Mitton took gold by measuring 19.03 while New Zealand’s Maddison-Lee Wesche had to settle for bronze in 18.84.
In the men’s 400 metres, Barbadian Jonathan Jones (46.39) and Jamaicans Anthony Cox (45.51) and Nathon Allen (45.18) won their heats to lead nine Caribbean athletes into the next round.
The women’s corresponding event was highlighted by Barbadian Sada Williams, the World Championships bronze medalist capturing heat three in 51.66 to be one of three runners from the region advancing to the semi-finals.
CMC
