Elton Tucker, Assistant Sport Editor
Jamaica's gold medallists (left to right) Sheri-Ann Brooks, Peta Dowdie, Daniele Browning and Sherone Simpson during the medal ceremony for the women's 4x100m relay at the Commonwealth Games in Melbourne yesterday.- REUTERS
MELBOURNE, Australia:
JAMAICA WON two gold and one bronze medal on the final day of track and field competition at the XVIII Commonwealth Games to lift their record haul to 22.
The sprinters kept up their domination of the other countries, winning the men's and women's 4x100m to send the gold count up to 10.
Jamaica's total medals, after day 10 of competition, placed the country at eighth in the standings with 10 gold, four silver and eight bronze.
The gold medal tally could well have been 11 but for a terrible mix-up in the women's 4x400m.
HAND-OVER WENT WRONG
Novlene Williams, on the second leg, came to the hand-over leading by as many as five metres, but the change to Shellene Williams went completely wrong and the baton ended up on the infield. By the time Novlene Williams picked it up and handed it over, the rest of the field had long gone. First past the post, England were disqualified for a lane violation and placed out of the race. The gold was awarded to second past the post Australia, 3:29.57 with India getting second and Nigeria, third. Jamaica, 3:34.91, was promoted one place up to fourth following the disqualification.
There were also several mishaps on the final leg of the men's sprint relay and world 100m record holder Asafa Powell, though crossing the line well ahead, was left fuming.
He wanted a big test on the final leg similar to the one he got in the semi-finals.
"Well you know I wanted Australia to finish the race and give us a really good run so we could have done a better time, but unfortunately the baton fell," Powell said.
HAPPY WITH TWO GOLD
Despite his disappointment with the lack of a challenge, Powell said he was happy to collect two gold medals in Melbourne.
Jamaica, with Chris Williams replacing Winston Smith from the semi-final line-up, clocked 38.36 with South Africa second in 38.98 and Canada third in 39.21. The other members of the quartet were starter Michael Frater and Ainsley Waugh.
The women's sprint relay also went in easy fashion to Jamaica. Daniele Browning, Sheri-Ann Brooks, Peta-Gaye Dowdie and Sherone Simpson won unchallenged in 43.10 from England 43.43 and Australia, 44.25.
Dowdie said she was very confident they would have won.
"I knew that if we were able to get the baton around the track, we would definitely be up there because we had one of the best teams going in. I am happy I am going home with a medal because the 100m did not turn out so well," Dowdie added.
TEAM STRENGTHENED
The men's 4x400m team lifted themselves from a lacklustre semi-final round to get bronze. They were strengthened by the inclusion of individual bronze medallist Jermaine Gonzales and, unlike the semi-finals, were competitive throughout.
Jamaica clocked 3:01.94 to edge out England for the bronze. Australia won gold in 3:00.93 with South Africa second in 3:1.84.
Davian Clarke, who ran the second leg, said the rest of his team members Lansford Davis, Lansford Spence and Gonzales gave a gallant display.
"Good race. We performed to the best of our ability from lane one which was a tough lane to run from, but everybody went out and stood up to the challenge.
"We were behind the entire race, but nobody gave up. We kept running to the front and it paid off with a bronze medal.
"I thought at one point that we were going to win, but every time we cut down the distance, the Australian team kept pulling away. We were catching them at the end, but it was just not our day today," Clarke said.
PERSONAL BEST
In one other final on the track, triple jumper Wilbert Walker did a personal best 16.33m to place eighth.
Phillips Idowu of England won gold with 17.45m.
As expected Jamaica's Sunshine Girlz will play for the bronze medal in netball on the final day of the Games.
At the Melbourne Multi-Purpose Venue yesterday they were outclassed by New Zealand in the semi-finals going down 61-41.
Jamaica made a number of errors early in the game as New Zealand led 18-7 at the quarter and 32-17 at half-time. The Sunshine Girlz lifted their game in the second half, but it was too late to stop New Zealand.
The quarterly scores after the break were 16-11 New Zealand and 13-13.
Elaine Davis scored 27 from 31 attempts. Simone Forbes who had an outstanding game at goak attack, 14 from 18. Irene Van Dyk had 48 goals from 51 attempts for New Zealand.
Australia withstood fierce competition from England to win the second semi-final 52-40. Like it was four years ago, the two southern hemisphere neighbours will play off in the gold medal match while Jamaica face England for bronze.
