GOLD COAST, Australia (Reuters) – Highlights on final of the Commonwealth Games on Sunday (times GMT):
1148 EARL OF WESSEX CLOSES GAMES
Queen Elizabeth’s youngest son Prince Edward called on the athletes to gather again in Birmingham in four years time before officially closing the XXI Games.
“Every four years these Games bring the spirit of our Commonwealth alive,” the Prince said.
“They express friendship between nations and the desire to share our common values and our common wealth for the good of humanity and the peace of the world.
“So I call sportsmen and women from all countries and territories of the Commonwealth to come together in four years’ time in Birmingham, England, to celebrate the 22nd Commonwealth Games.
“Until then, in the name of the Commonwealth Games Federation, I proclaim Gold Coast 2018 closed.”
1123 CGF PRESIDENT MARTIN HANDS FLAG TO NEXT HOSTS
Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF) President Louise Martin thanked the organizers, volunteers, various levels of government, athletes and sponsors for their input to the Games before handing the flag over to the next hosts.
English city Birmingham were awarded the next Games in 2022 after original hosts Durban were stripped of the multi-sport event for failing to meet CGF deadlines.
“Congratulations Gold Coast, congratulations Queensland and congratulations Australia,” Martin said before the flag lowering ceremony. “You have truly delivered a golden Games for the Commonwealth.
“Athletes, 11 days ago I asked you to grasp this opportunity and create your own history and fulfil your dreams. I thank you.
“What a Games these have been. You have written a new chapter in Commonwealth history.
“On behalf of the Commonwealth Games family, thank you Gold Coast, thank you athletes and thank you all.”
0856 NEW ZEALAND MEN MATCH WOMEN WITH RUGBY SEVENS GOLD
New Zealand rugby sevens captain Tim Mikkelson said watching the women’s team beat Australia in the final had inspired the men to a 14-0 victory against Fiji.
“It’s pretty satisfying. We watched the women go into overtime and their win at the end really inspired us to get the double,” Mikkelson said.
“Not many guys in this team would know the feeling of a gold medal. I got one in Delhi (2010 Commonwealth Games) and was part of the team that lost in Glasgow (2014), so to get this win is amazing,” he added.
0530 NEW ZEALAND WOMEN CLAIM RUGBY SEVENS GOLD
A try in sudden-death extra time by Kelly Brazier helped New Zealand beat Olympic champions Australia 17-12 to clinch the first Commonwealth Games women’s rugby sevens gold medal.
0449 AUSTRALIA CLAIM SQUASH DOUBLES CROWN
Australia’s David Palmer and Zac Alexander beat England’s Daryl Selby and Adrian Waller 11-9 3-11 11-6 in 57 minutes to win gold in the men’s doubles squash event.
Palmer, 41, came out of retirement for a second time to defend the gold he won at Glasgow 2014 with Cameron Pilley.
“I’m really happy I could pick up my game in the third, get on a roll and get the crowd behind us. There can’t be any better way for me to finish,” Palmer said.
0437 ENGLAND STUN AUSTRALIA IN NETBALL FINAL
England shocked favorites Australia 52-51 in the netball final. With the scores level at 51-51, England clinched the gold with a decisive penalty shot on the siren.
They became the first team apart from Australia and New Zealand to win netball gold.
0421 SINGAPORE TABLE TENNIS PLAYER GAO WINS GOLD
Singapore’s Gao Ning, who suffered shattering defeats in the 2010 and 2014 Commonwealth Games, beat Nigeria’s Quadri Aruna 11-7 11-8 5-11 3-11 11-9 11-5 in the men’s singles final to collect his second table tennis gold of the day.
“It was one of those matches where sometimes you win, sometimes you lose. It could have gone either way. Today I felt very calm,” Gao said.
“Twice I’ve been the runner up, now the winner but at the Commonwealth Games I’ve won men’s team and men’s doubles gold medals… I’m happy to win, I just did my best.”
Gao and his team mate Yu Mengyu claimed the mixed doubles gold earlier in the day.
0405 ENGLAND SQUASH PLAYER WILLSTROP REFLECTS ON TOUGH WEEK
England’s James Willstrop and Declan James beat Scotland’s Alan Clyne and Greg Lobban to win the men’s doubles bronze.
The English pair had lost to compatriots Daryl Selby and Adrian Waller in the semi-finals on Saturday.
“If anyone finds me on a doubles court again, shoot me. The emotions have been ridiculous this week,” Willstrop said. “It’s an incredibly intense game, it’s a brain ache. I’m so pleased to win bronze and it’s a huge accomplishment for Declan and I.”
0346 LEE DELIGHTED WITH BADMINTON GOLD IN LAST GAMES
Malaysian badminton player Lee Chong Wei defeated India’s world number one Kidambi Srikanth 19-21 21-14 21-14 to win the men’s singles title.
“This is one of my most memorable achievements because this will be my last Commonwealth Games,” Lee said. “I know how important this gold medal is for Malaysia. I won this for the whole Malaysian badminton team.”
Earlier, India’s Saina Nehwal defeated compatriot Pusarla Sindhu 21-18 23-21 to claim the women’s gold medal.
0311 AUSTRALIA BEAT CANADA IN MEN’S BASKETBALL FINAL
Chris Goulding, Nicholas Kay and Nathan Sobey all tallied double figures as Australia won the gold medal in basketball with a 87-47 victory over Canada.
Australia are the only nation to win Commonwealth Games basketball gold after claiming top spot in both the men’s and women’s tournaments in Melbourne 2006 and at the Gold Coast.
0305 NEW ZEALAND WOMEN BEAT INDIA IN SQUASH DOUBLES FINAL
New Zealand’s Joelle King and Amanda Landers-Murphy beat India’s Joshna Chinappa and Dipika Pallikal Karthik 11-9 11-8 to claim the gold medal in the squash women’s doubles.
0235 HAWKINS “SITTING UP AND TALKING”
“We are very pleased to report that Callum is sitting up and speaking with his Dad and Team Scotland medical staff. He is undergoing further tests as a precaution and we all wish him a speedy recovery.” Team Scotland on Twitter
0207 TEAM SCOTLAND UPDATE ON HAWKINS
“Callum has been taken to hospital for medical review following his collapse in the Marathon as is standard procedure. He is being supported by Team Scotland medical staff & there are no major concerns at this stage. More information to be issued in due course.” Team Scotland on Twitter
0055 SHELLEY RETAINS MARATHON TITLE AFTER HAWKINS COLLAPSE
Australia’s Mike Shelley defied the brutal heat to retain his marathon title in two hours, 16.46 minutes. Silver went to Uganda’s Munyo Mutai, two minutes and 16 seconds behind, while Scotland’s Robbie Simpson took bronze.
Simpson’s team mate Callum Hawkins was leading inside the final five kilometers when he succumbed to heat exhaustion and collapsed.
“Callum Hawkins is conscious following his fall and has been taken away in an ambulance. We all wish Callum a speedy recovery,” British Athletics tweeted.
0000 NAMIBIA’S JOHANNES WINS WOMEN’S MARATHON
Helalia Johannes of Namibia won the women’s marathon in two hours, 32.40 minutes, crossing the line 43 seconds ahead of Australian Lisa Weightman.
Weightman’s compatriot Jessica Trengrove took bronze for the second Games in a row to add yet another medal to the host nation’s already impressive tally.
2305 FINAL FEW MEDALS UP FOR GRABS ON LAST DAY
The marathons kicked off the final day of competition at the XXI Commonwealth Games and they got underway in blazing sunshine on the Gold Coast.
There are also medals up for grabs in rugby sevens, badminton, basketball, netball and table tennis before the closing ceremony at Carrara Stadium.
(Compiled by Greg Stutchbury in Gold Coast and Shrivathsa Sridhar in Bengaluru; Editing by John O’Brien/Amlan Chakraborty/Toby Davis)
