Georgia Baker has capped a faultless Australian team effort to win the Commonwealth Games women’s road race.
Key points:
Baker had already won two gold medals in the track cycling program
Australian teammate Sarah Roy claimed the bronze medal
Rohan Dennis has pulled out of the men’s road race
It is Baker’s third gold medal in Birmingham, after she also won on the track in the team pursuit and the points race.
Teammate Sarah Roy finished third in the 112-kilometre road race at Warwick, south of Birmingham, while Scotland’s Neah Evans took second.
The Australians had the strongest team in the seven-lap race around Warwick and they policed the peloton throughout.
Any attack was marked, with time trial gold medalist Grace Brown doing a power of domestic work.
All six Australians were in the peloton for the finish and they set up a sprint train for Baker, who duly delivered.
Earlier on Sunday, the Australian team announced time trial gold medalist Rohan Dennis had pulled out of the men’s road race because of illness.
AusCycling issued a statement, saying Dennis had been in discomfort on Saturday morning and had been taken to hospital for observation, where he remains.
“As a precaution, Dennis was advised to withdraw from today’s road race, but remains comfortable and under observation,” the statement read.
No other information about Dennis’s condition was available.
It was a no-holds-barred start to Australia’s netball semi-final against England at the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham.
The game started extremely physically, but nothing would compare to one of the players crashing into and breaking a goal post in the first quarter.
See the massive collision in the video player above
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The incident occurred as England goal defense Layla Guscoth went for an intercept, with the momentum of the effort sending her crashing into the post.
She got up smiling and was unharmed and able to continue the game.
Not so much for the post – which needed to be replaced.
After a short pause in the game, the bent post was pulled out and a new one slotted into its position.
England goal defense Layla Guscoth broke the post with the collision. Credit: Seven
Diamonds cut through Roses into the end
Meanwhile, Australia’s Diamonds cut ruthlessly through England’s Roses, earning sweet, sweet revenge for their painful 2018 Commonwealth Games final defeat.
Australia, also smarting from their shock loss to Jamaica in the group stages, roared back to steam into the final, outplaying England 60-51 in their semi-final at the NEC Exhibition Center on Saturday.
It was a surgical triumph, built on the brilliance and fluidity of the Diamonds’ movement as they repeated their Quad Series final demolition of England in London in January.
Silencing the shrill and deafening support of the home crowd, their victory set up another chance of revenge for Stacey Marinkovich’s team in the gold medal game against Jamaica’s Sunshine girls on Sunday.
It gives Australia the chance of a fifth Commonwealth crown after they were sensationally dethroned in the 2018 final by Helen Housby’s last-ditch goal.
Australia are out to settle an old score in their netball semi-final against England. Credit: AAP
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TALLY MEDAL:Every gold, silver and bronze at Birmingham 2022
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There never looked like a repeat of that shock from Housby and her colleagues, one which has become enshrined as one of the best moments in English women’s sport. The Australians took command midway through the first quarter and never released their vice-like grip.
Inspired by the brilliance inside the shooting circle of Gretel Bueta, who dominated England’s defenders with her 43 goals from 44 attempts, the Diamonds led by three after the first quarter, six at halftime and nine after the third.
It was a relentless stranglehold, the speed of Australia’s ball movement in contrast to England’s cumbersome build-up towards the net.
Every one of Marinkovich’s team, led by captain Liz Watson and Courtney Bruce, on her 50th cap, had a fine match.
There had been a bizarre early stoppage in the opening period at 3-3 when England’s Layla Guscoth crashed into the net post while trying to make an interception.
That prompted a delay to the game as running repairs were made to the post, but from that moment Australia never looked back.
Earlier, the Jamaicans had continued their inspired form, following up their 57-55 defeat of Australia with a convincing 67-51 win over world champions New Zealand.
-With APA
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Michelle Jenneke has missed out on a bronze medal but just 0.09 seconds as she finished fifth in the final of the 100m hurdles at the Commonwealth Games.
The 29-year-old was just 0.02 seconds off her personal best with a negative wind blowing in her face and it still wasn’t enough for a medal as she fell away in the final 40m.
Defending champion, world champion and world record holder Tobi Amusan won the gold in a Games record time of 12.30 seconds.
Jenneke’s time — 12.68 seconds — was just 0.03 seconds off the previous Games record, but in a lightning race all three of the best runners smashed that previous record.
Aussie athletics great Tamsyn Manou said on Channel 7 after the race that Jenneke would be happy with the result and will be filled with confidence as she begins her preparation for the 2024 Olympics in Paris.
It was another brutal end for Jenneke after she also missed out on a bronze medal at the 2018 Gold Coast Games by just 0.01 seconds.
The difference this time is that the field was red hot, with five of the runners also featuring in the World Championships final last month in Oregon.
“I would have liked another PB, but it wasn’t to be today,” Jenneke told Channel 7 after the race.
“To back up my run from worlds, go fast with a slight headwind there… so really happy with that performance. It’s just tough when you’re racing a field of that quality.
“That’s the fastest race there has ever been at the Commonwealth Games.”
She went on to say how happy she is that she has resurrected her career after so many injuries set backs in recent years.
“I had a pretty rough two years. There were times people in my inner circle were saying to me, ‘Are you sure you want to be doing this?’ And I was just saying back to them, ‘I’ve got more in me’. It shows that I have and I’m really glad I could show the world what I’m capable of,” she said.
Fellow Aussie Celeste Mucci also ran an impressive race to finish seventh.
Jenneke had run the fastest time of her life — 12.63 seconds — two days earlier to thunder into the final, but the time did not count as a new personal best because it was wind-assisted.
Jenneke also ranked a career-saving personal best time of 12.66 at the World Championships.
Jenneke’s time in Oregon made her the second-quickest women’s 100m hurdler Australia has ever produced, behind only Sally Pearson.
She said after the semi-final that she was in “the shape of my life”.
She said her peak physical condition is simply the result of finally being able to have a stretch without injuries where she could get in an extended training block.
“I haven’t really changed things. It’s just one of those things where I’ve been able to string together some training where I haven’t been injured,” she said.
“So I’ve actually been able to get every session done. When you do that things seem to come together. That’s really all it is. Nothing too special.”
Jenneke had finished fourth at the 2018 Games on the Gold Coast, but she did it in a time of 13.07 seconds.
Australia has exacted revenge on defending champions England with a 60-51 win to reach the netball final at the Birmingham Commonwealth Games.
Key points:
The Diamonds led England at every change
Gretel Bueta was outstanding with 43 goals from 44 attempts
The Diamonds face Jamaica in the end
The Diamonds will face Jamaica in the gold-medal match after the Caribbean nation defeated world champions New Zealand 67-51 in their semifinal.
Jamaica beat the Diamonds 57-55 in their final pool match last Thursday.
The Diamonds’ victory over the host nation was built on the brilliance and fluidity of their movement as they repeated their Quad Series final demolition of England in London in January.
It gives the Diamonds the chance of a fifth Commonwealth Games crown after they were sensationally dethroned in the 2018 Gold Coast final by Helen Housby’s last-ditch goal.
This time around, the Diamonds took command midway through the first quarter and never released their vice-like grip.
Inspired by the brilliance inside the shooting circle of Gretel Bueta, who dominated England’s defenders with her 43 goals from 44 attempts, the Diamonds led by three after the first quarter, six at half-time and nine after the third.
It was a relentless stranglehold, the speed of Australia’s ball movement in contrast to England’s cumbersome build-up towards the net.
Diamonds captain Liz Watson led by example against England.(Getty Images: Mark Kolbe)
Every one of Stacey Marinkovich’s team, led by captain Liz Watson and Courtney Bruce, had a fine match.
There had been a bizarre early stoppage in the opening period at 3-3 when England’s Layla Guscoth crashed into the net post while trying to make an interception.
That prompted a delay to the game as running repairs were made to the post, but from that moment Australia never looked back.
The Diamonds have reached the end of every Games since netball became a fully fledged part of the program at Kuala Lumpur in 1998, winning gold in 1998, 2002 and 2014.
Ollie Hoare could have been excused for not being at his best heading into the men’s 1500m final at the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games.
Not only did he have the letdown of a disappointing world championships campaign this month, he was also grieving the loss of his grandfather and mentor Fred Hoare days after the event in Oregon.
Watch the emotional story behind Ollie Hoare’s famous victory above
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But whatever complications those challenges presented, Hoare was able to overcome them.
The 25-year-old is now the toast of the athletics world after becoming just the second Australian after Herb Elliott to win the race on Saturday.
Hoare paid tribute to his grandfather and dedicated his gold medal to him.
“I would like to dedicate that race to my pop. He was a life member at Sutherland Districts Athletics Club and he was a World War II veteran, Sergeant Fred Hoare. He passed away after the world champs,” Hoare told Channel 7.
Oliver Hoare won the sprint to the finish line in the men’s 1500m. Credit: Dean Lewis/AAP
“It was a difficult time for me because of how bad I raced (at the worlds) and to hear the news of a guy who had a stopwatch at every race I had and growing up through the sport and not having him there to watch was tough.
“But I would like to dedicate that race to my pop because he is the reason my family loves the sport and why I’m here today.
“Pop, I know you are watching, I’ll have a glass of red for you, mate. That was a good one.”
It was a remarkable turnaround for Hoare, who only two weeks ago failed to earn a place in the final at the world championships.
Oliver Hoare reacts after winning gold. Credit: Alastair Grant/AP
Hoare was fourth at the top of the final straight but powered home to win in three minutes 30.12 seconds, lunging across the line to edge out 2019 world champ Timothy Cheruiyot from Kenya by nine hundredths of a second.
Reigning world champ Jake Wightman from Scotland was third as the first seven runners across the line all broke the Games record.
Hoare stripped more than two and a half seconds off his PB in one of the greatest middle-distance runs ever by an Australian.
Elliott won the mile at the 1958 Games in Cardiff before the switch to metric distances.
Former English middle-distance superstar and current World Athletics boss Sebastian Coe was on hand at Alexander Stadium to pay tribute to Hoare.
Oliver Hoare of Australia wins the men’s 1500m final at the Commonwealth Games at Alexander Stadium in Birmingham. Credit: Dean Lewis/AAP
EVERYEVENT:Check out the full Commonwealth Games schedule
TALLY MEDAL:Every gold, silver and bronze at Birmingham 2022
LATEST RESULTS:Detailed breakdown of every event at the Games
“It was a sensational run,” he said.
“The golden rule is to stay in contact (with the leaders) and then you are in a position to capitalize when things start to go wrong for others.
“He stayed calm over the last lap and he absolutely capitalized.”
Hoare said he knew he had a shot at a medal at the top of the straight.
“For me, it is about just wanting to belong there and I had to be patient and back myself,” he said.
“That last lap, I wanted to make sure I stayed relaxed on the inside and knew my time would come, and it is hard to believe when you have guys there that are absolute class. I was able to get out and I had the kicker at the end, and, yeah, it was spectacular.”
-With APA
Just like Tokyo 2020 on Seven, there will be one destination to watch every epic feat, every medal moment, every record attempt and every inspiring turn from the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games.
7plus is the only place to watch up to 30 live and replay channels of sport, see what’s on when, keep up to date with the medal tally, create a watchlist to follow your favorite events and catch up on highlights.
It is not something we have often seen at the Commonwealth Games, where they have won all six gold medals in the competition’s history.
But they almost missed the gold medal match, after an aggressive, inspired, and amped-up England side threatened to pull off an incredible upset.
The Kookaburras sailed through the pool stage, as they so often do, racking up big score lines and making big statements.
It was different against the Englishmen.
They smothered the world’s top-ranked team and stifled their flow.
They walked a fine line, and at times stepped over it too, receiving two yellow cards and a green card during the game.
“You play the Aussies, they come out hard, they look to throw punches, to knock you down, and kill the game,” England captain Zach Wallace said.
“The plan was to go out and throw punches back, and we did that. We got them running the other way. I just went at them, it was like a boxing match.”
If it went to a points decision, it might have gone in England’s favour, but the Kookaburras found a way to land the knockout blow, and come back from 2-0 down, to win 3-2.
Kookaburras grind to ‘ugly’ win
The hosts started with intent and looked especially dangerous on the counterattack.
Phil Roper put them ahead in the first quarter, then a penalty stroke in the second quarter saw Wallace give them a 2-0 lead.
“They play a bit different, a bit more of a marking team, so they definitely put us under pressure early,” Kookaburras midfielder Daniel Beale said.
“Ideally, we don’t like to go two goals down that early in the game. (But) we trust in this group to be able to come back from anywhere.”
And the comeback arrived, in a slow, measured grind, rather than in a blaze of glory.
The Australians said they always believed they could come back to win the match.(Getty Images: Tom Dulat)
“Things don’t go your way, you have to crawl your way out, fight a little bit, you probably need a bit of luck” co-captain Eddie Ockenden said.
“I didn’t question that we would be able to do it. It’s not like we got on a big run, we just had to edge our way through a bit of attrition.”
“They started the game very well, and we were certainly on the backfoot,” Kookaburras coach Colin Batch said.
“I think they got a lot of confidence from that situation, so it was a huge challenge just to get up to our level and it took a long time to get there.”
One of the Kookaburras’ most reliable sources for goals, Blake Govers, again delivered when needed from a penalty corner to make it 2-1 at half-time.
And Jacob Anderson’s tomahawk drew them level, but the winning goal was the most contentious.
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Anderson took a quick free hit to penetrate the circle, and Beale capitalized to score.
It was reviewed to see whether Anderson had stopped the ball dead before taking the hit, and the goal stood.
“Probably one of the most timely goals in my career, very glad to put that one in the net and for the referral to stand,” Beale said.
England raided the Kookaburras in the final minutes, even substituting their goalkeeper for an extra field player to try and force a shootout.
And while overall the Kookaburras weren’t at their best, they still produced what was required when needed.
There were crucial saves from goalkeeper Andrew Charter, Flynn Ogilvy alerted on the post to bat away an attempt off a penalty corner, Jeremy Hayward blocking a shot on goal at the death, and Ockenden an overall calming presence to take the sting out of England’s bite .
England captain Zach Wallace was distracted after losing the match.(Getty Images: Clive Brunskill)
The celebrations, or lack thereof, said a lot at the end of the match too.
As some England players slumped to the ground in despair, the Australians smiled, hugged, and high-fived, but there were no wild celebrations befitting a semi-final win.
“We didn’t play our best but you can win ugly as well and that’s a good sign for us,” said Govers.
The Kookaburras are accustomed to gold, and on the final day of the Games, they get a shot at it once again, when they face India in the decider.
The ninth day of the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham has ended with another nine gold medals for Australia, strengthening the nation’s lead in the overall tally.
Two Australians made it to the final in the table tennis women’s singles classes 6-10, ensuring two medals for the nation.
Qian Yang won gold and Li Na Lei took home the silver medal.
Australia also won gold in athletics, lawn bowls, diving and gymnastics.
You can check out how the latest batch of medals were won in our Commonwealth Games blog, or have a look at the medal winners and the top 10 medal standings by country below:
Day nine medal results:
Gold:
Alexandra Kiroi-Bogatyreva, gymnastics, rhythmic gymnastics
Jemima Montag, athletics, 10,000 meter race walking
Oliver Hoare, athletics, 1,500 meter run
Maddison Keeney and Anabelle Luce Smith, diving, 3-meter synchronized springboard
Ellen Ryan and Kristina Krstic, lawn bowls, pairs
Aaron Wilson, lawn bowls, singles
Melissa Wu and Charli Petrov, diving, 10-meter synchronized platform
Eleanor Patterson admitted it was a “bittersweet” feeling after she ended up setting for silver in the women’s high jump final at the Commonwealth Games.
The term ‘setting’ is not usually the right one when it comes to silver medals but even Patterson herself conceded it was a disappointing result when speaking with Channel 7 post race.
MEDAL TALLY: Aussies’ gold rush after Poms turn up heat in Comm Games race
COMM GAMES LIVE: Aussie breaks record, beats TWO world champs
Australia’s Eleanor Patterson reacts after the women’s high jump final athletics event. (Photo by Ben Stansall / AFP)Source: AFP
“It’s bittersweet. I didn’t perform,” she said.
“Lamara (Distin) was the best athlete on the day. I’m really impressed by her and proud of her.
“But I am just quite frustrated with myself. I did not come here today and perform how I know I can and how I usually do.”
Patterson was the raging favorite after stunning the world by becoming the first Australian to win the women’s high jump gold at the World Athletics Championship.
Her chances of taking home gold in Birmingham only received another boost when fellow Australian and Tokyo Olympics silver medalist Nicola Olyslagers pulled out with a calf injury.
Browning FALLS, relay goes begging! | 00:28
Jamaican Lamara Distin had other ideas though, setting the tone with a first-round clearance at 1.95m that Patterson could not match with three attempts.
That mark was seven centimeters less than Patterson’s stunning effort at the World Athletics Championship, which made it harder to take for the Australian.
“I’ve had a bit of a sore ankle but that’s no excuse,” she added.
“I was struggling to get my rhythm a little bit and wasn’t switched on enough, I don’t know. It’s frustrating.
Ollie Hoare has come from the clouds in the final stages to claim Commonwealth Games gold in the 1500m.
Hoare blitzed the field in the home straight as he stormed past Kenya’s Timothy Cheruiyot in the last 10 meters to cross the line in a games record time of 3:30.13 – edging the Kenyan by .09 of a second.
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The Aussie stalked Cheruiyot, the world champion and defending Commonwealth Games champion, as they came around the final bend and turned on the gas at the perfect moment.
“Hoare lifting here, lifting with a big run,” Bruce McAvaney said.
“He’s coming with a mighty run, the Aussie’s a chance. Cheruiyot goes up … here comes Ollie Hoare with a flashing run I reckon he’s going to get there.”
“And it is!” Tamsyn Lewis-Manou shouted as Hoare crossed the line.
“It’s an extraordinary moment in Australian sport. It’s one of those that we will etch in the history books forever and how lucky we are to have been here and for you to have watched it,” McAvaney said as Hoare slumped over in disbelief on the ground. “The last 100m is the stuff of legends.”
“Take your hat off, that was just brilliant and a new Games record,” Lewis-Manou said.
“He has just beat a sensational field. I have waited until the exit route, got out and that finish was brilliant.”
“He takes down two world champions in the home stretch, it’s just magical. It’s what you dream about,” McAvaney added.
Hoare, 25, spoke about the gold medal moment after completing a lap of victory around the stadium.
“That last lap I just wanted to stay relaxed and I knew that my time would come. It’s hard to believe when you have guys there that are absolute class. But I was able to get out and I just had the kicker at the end and it was spectacular,” Hoare said.
Hoare got emotional during the interview as he dedicated the run to his late grandfather.
“I’d like to dedicate that race to my pop he was a life member at Southern Districts athletics club and he was a World War 2 veteran, Sargaent Fred Hoare.
“He passed away just after the World Champs and it was a very difficult time for me because of how bad I’d just raced and to hear that news of a guy who would have a stopwatch at every race when I was growing up going through the sport, to not have him there to watch was tough but I’d like to dedicate that race to my pop because he is the reason why my family loves this sport and the reason why I am here today.
“So Pop, I know you’re watching. I’ll have a glass of red for ya mate. That was a good one.”
Australian viewers couldn’t believe what they’d just witnessed with Hoare’s run one we’ll remember for years and years.
The Herald Sun’s Jon Ralph wrote: “Here comes Ollie Hoare with a flashing run. Bloody hell. Some kind of guts to run down two world champions. Just wow.”
Former Boomers coach Brendan Joyce wrote: “Wow Australia we have a new champion to be proud of! What a run in the 1500! Ollie Hoare you were incredible!”
ABC journalist Peter Gunders wrote: “Ollie Hoare! What a race. My heart is racing, we nearly lost our voices cheering, and I think we just woke up the whole street.”
Former AFL star Kane Cornes wrote: “World class run, how tough is he. Bruce is a genius.”
When the family of a Commonwealth Games debutant realized they couldn’t make it to Birmingham, they brought Birmingham to them.
Mackay’s Claire Colwill only joined the Hockeyroos this year after years of representing Mackay and Queensland.
Through every major tournament, her 92-year-old granny has been there cheering from the sidelines.
But the long travel and the lingering threat of COVID meant Jill Loughnan stayed home on the Sunshine Coast, where her family has set up their own Games Village to cheer on Australia.
“Through Claire’s hockey career, my mum and I have been able to travel with her as she’s played for Queensland and that’s been a really special time for us,” Colwill’s mother, Sara, said.
Claire Colwill with her granny Jill Loughnan and mother Sara at her Hockeyroos debut.(Supplied: Sara Colwill)
“We were lucky to be there to see her debut for Australia in New Zealand.
“One of the things [Granny] has always enjoyed about coming on hockey trips is the company and being part of it.”
Sara said the family had been watching the Games live and the replays from the comfort of her mum’s living room.
“I’m sure there’ll be lots of cups of tea and Devonshire teas and all things British to create the Birmingham theme.”
‘I’ve got two goals in life’
Claire Colwill represented Mackay, Capricornia and Queensland as a junior.(Supplied: Sara Colwill)
From a young age, Claire knew she wanted to be an Australian hockey player.
“When she was about nine, we were on the grass fields learning to hit and she came up to me and said very clearly, ‘Mum, I’ve two goals in life — I’m going to be a Hockeyroo and I’m going to run against Usain Bolt’,” Sara said.
She said her 20-year-old daughter had always been very focused; the second-year university student is balancing international sport with her studies de ella.
“She’s had to do one of her exams online from the Netherlands while she was away just before the World Cup started.
“She’s just set up a really good timetable and mapped it all out… so she knows exactly what she’s got to do.”
Claire Colwill (centre front) claimed her first World Cup medal in May when the Hockeyroos took bronze.(Twitter: HockeyRoos)
Speaking to the ABC when she was first named in the Hockeyroos squad, Colwill said it was a dream come true.
“It’s something you dream of as a kid, and every training session, it builds towards this moment,” she said.
“Starting back in school hockey in Mackay… it all adds up to where I am today.”
Proud family of supporters
Colwill’s brother Tim has traveled from Ipswich to Birmingham.(Supplied: Sara Colwill)
While most of Colwill’s family will be at the proxy Games village on the Sunshine Coast, her older brother, Tim, is in Birmingham cheering from the sidelines.
Sara said her two children were close growing up and continued to have a strong bond.
“They might not say that, but they are,” she laughed.
“He’s actually got a T-shirt made up with a photo of Claire in her hockey uniform on the front, and on the back it’s got ‘Colwill #1 supporter’.
“Number one is also actually Claire’s playing number.”
While Birmingham was the first major tournament Sara and her mum would not be watching Claire from the sidelines for, she said she doubted that it would make her daughter nervous.
“She’s always been really independent and the group is so supportive. It’s just one big family.
“I think she’s just loving every minute of it and just wouldn’t want to be anywhere else… she just seems to be thriving.”
Colwill and the Hockeyroos will play for gold tonight after defeating India in a penalty shootout in the semi-finals.
Until the Games Jill Loughnan has been on the sidelines to watch her granddaughter.(Supplied: Sara Colwill)
