Established 1961 13 Sports Thursday, April 12, 2018 ‘Expect the best’ as Bolt boost for Jamaica at Games South African Luvo Manyonga captures long jump gold GOLD COAST: Shaunae Miller-Uibo grabbed a psy- championships as a spectator following his retirement chological edge over Olympic champion Elaine last year. “I always expect Jamaicans to come out and Thompson in the Commonwealth Games 200 metres do their best,” said the eight-time Olympic champion. semi-finals yesterday as retired sprint legend Usain “We are a big track nation so we always expect the Bolt settled into his new role as a spectator. Bahamian best of them at all times.” However, Stephenie Miller-Uibo, who dramatically dived over the line to win McPherson missed the memo as the defending champi- Olympic 400m gold at the 2016 Rio Games, swept into on was dethroned in the 400m, finishing third behind the 200m final in 22.95 seconds, nearly half a second Botswana’s Amantle Montsho, who clocked 50.15 ahead ahead of Thompson, easing up behind her. It sets up an of Jamaica’s Anastasia Le-Roy. intriguing final today when Thompson will attempt to win Jamaica’s first non-hurdles sprint title of the Games, DIVING HEARTBREAK following Yohan Blake’s shock defeat in the men’s 100m. Praught’s wasn’t the only breakthrough performance, Thompson’s outing came after Aisha Praught had as Australia’s Kathryn Mitchell unleashed the world’s broken Kenya’s strangle- longest javelin throw in five hold on the women’s stee- years to win gold with a plechase, a result that also mighty effort of 68.92m. “I gave Jamaica its first tried to put all thought of Commonwealth medal in a results out of my mind,” she race longer than 800m. It sets up said. “I knew I could throw American-born Praught the Australian record even- caught Kenyan favourite an intriguing tually, so I just said to Celliphine Chespol on the myself, ‘Allow it to come’.” final bend to win in 9min final today South African Luvo 21sec, ending the East Manyonga, a former crystal African nation’s phenome- meth addict turned Olympic nal record of sweeping the silver medallist, leapt a GOLD COAST: Bahamas’ Shaunae Miller-Uibo competes in the athletics women’s 200m semifinal during the podium at the last two Games-record 8.41m to cap- 2018 Gold Coast Commonwealth Games at the Carrara Stadium on the Gold Coast yesterday. — AFP Games. Chespol took sil- ture long jump gold, while ver and countrywoman Purity Cherotich Kirui bronze. Australia’s Brandon Starc won the high jump with a “I just put in the work every day and believe that I personal best of 2.32m. Bushy-bearded Daniel springboard title but there was heartbreak for when he dismantled Isle of Man’s Benjamin Li in just 21 can race anyone,” said Praught. “I knew the Repacholi won his third Commonwealth gold with vic- Australia’s Maddison Keeney and Annabelle Smith, who minutes, dropping only nine points. India’s K. Srikanth Commonwealth Games was what I wanted and I tory in the 50m air pistol, and India’s Shreyasi Singh led the women’s 3m synchro until they botched their joined him in the next round-along with formidable worked towards it every day.” Her victory came as claimed her first in the women’s double trap. final dive and finished last. Malaysia’s Lee Chong Wei Indian women’s players Saina Nehwal and PV Sindhu, Jamaica were urged on by Bolt, who arrived for his first England’s Jack Laugher retained his one-metre swept into the last 16 of the men’s badminton singles all three winning with ease. — AFP All smiles as Laugher retains Indian policeman wants revenge Commonwealth over boxing star Spence diving title GOLD COAST: An aggrieved Indian revenge against the man regarded as policeman and amateur boxer wants a one of the best pound-for-pound rematch with world champion Errol fighters around. “He’s one of my main GOLD COAST: England’s Jack Laugher gave Spence-and says he will beat the targets when I go pro-because of him a dominant performance to defend his American star all over again. Spence I’m turning pro,” said Krishan after Commonwealth Games one-metre spring- may be the undefeated International easily defeating Zambia’s Benny board title on the Gold Coast yesterday. Boxing Federation (IBF) welterweight Muziyo in their quarter-final. Earlier, Esther Qin and Georgia Sheehan champion with a perfect 23-0 record, “First I need to win all of my (pro) snatched the women’s three-metre synchro 20 of them knock-outs, but he fights, my first 12 to 15 fights, and gold after a fellow Aussie pair crashed from appeared to have temporarily met his then I will fight him,” said Krishan, a first place to last with a botched final dive. match when he faced Vikas Krishan former bronze medallist at world The 23-year-old Rio Olympic silver six years ago. amateur level. “I will beat him. I beat medallist on the three-metre board, led Krishan, who reached the semi- him at the Olympics and I will beat finals of the 75kg division yesterday at him again.” Fellow Indian Mary Kom, from wire-to-wire throughout the six GOLD COAST: L-R: Australia’s James Connor, England’s Jack Laugher and Scotland’s the Commonwealth Games in a household name back home and the rounds to tally 438.00 points and win gold James Heatly pose with their medals after the men’s 1m springboard diving final dur- Australia, was at the centre of a major subject of a Bollywood film in 2014, with some ease. Australia’s James Connor ing the 2018 Gold Coast Commonwealth Games at the Optus Aquatic Centre in the Gold controversy at the London 2012 secured at least silver with her latest took silver with 412.45 points. Scotland’s Coast yesterday. — AFP James Heatly finished with bronze on Olympics. The Indian boxer was ini- victory and will face Kristina O’Hara 399.25 points to become his country’s first tially declared the winner over Spence of Northern Ireland in Saturday’s Commonwealth diving medallist since his to defend the title, also being outdoors, all forces with Chris Mears to win Britain’s in their preliminary-round clash light-flyweight final. late grandfather Peter Heatly won gold at those different pressures, but I’m really first-ever Olympic diving gold medal in Rio despite the American dominating. The But there was more heartache for the 1958 Cardiff Games. happy with my overall performance.” where they won the three-metre synchro American camp appealed on the Sarita Devi, India’s other prominent “It was difficult to come here as the Laugher will bid for a second gold medal in competition. Qin and Sheehan, meanwhile grounds that the referee failed to spot female fighter, after she lost her defending champion,” said Laugher. “I really the 3m springboard on Thursday. “Three jumped from fourth to clinch gold after Krishan committing a number of fouls, quarter-final bout in the 57-60kg knuckled down, got focused-everything went metres is my main board and I’m a little bit leaders Maddison Keeney and Anabelle including spitting out his mouth-guard division. Devi, 36, shot to promi- fantastically and I am very proud of what I nervous for it, my first international compe- Smith bombed out with a disastrous attempt intentionally and repeatedly holding. nence four years ago when she tear- did.” Laugher’s top-scoring dives were 76.50 tition of the year because of the injuries I’ve at a forward 2-1/2 somersaults with two Krishan subsequently had his fully refused to accept her bronze for an inward 2-1/2 somersaults and his lead- had,” he said. twists that dropped them to last. A tearful shock victory overturned. The sense medal at the Asian Games in off back 2-1/2 somersaults dive which netted “But I’ve got high hopes, training’s been Keeney, who lost control of her dive in of injustice still burns within Krishan, Incheon, accusing judges of pander- 75.00 from the judges. “It was a really good good, I’m really enjoying the pool, the place windy conditions at the outdoor pool, put a 26, as his and Spence’s boxing careers ing to locals by declaring South score, I was 440, almost a PB but I didn’t and the team village.” It is Laugher’s third brave face on the mishap. go in starkly opposite directions. Korea’s Park Ji-Na the winner on quite hit anything, everything was really Commonwealth Games title since his debut “It was all over the shop,” said the one- Now, with at least bronze in the points in their semi-final. Devi had good, the tops were fantastic and I felt really at the age of 15 when he competed in Delhi metre world champion. “Obviously I don’t bag on the Gold Coast and plans to no complaints this time as she was good going out there,” Laugher said. in 2010. think anyone can say they dived well, but turn professional at the end of the beaten on unanimous points by “But my entries were a little bit shaky. I Laugher went on to win two gold medals we’ve come out the other end. It was a year, Krishan is eyeing unlikely Australia’s Anja Stridsman. — AFP put that down to a little bit of nerves, trying and a silver at Glasgow 2014 before joining tough day.” — AFP of all time.