Australia has finished the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham at the top of the standings and 10 gold medals ahead of second-placed England.
The green and gold team won 67 gold, 57 silver and 54 bronze medals during the competition.
The Kookaburras beat India in the final of the men’s hockey to secure Australia’s last gold medal of the Games.
You can check out how theaction unfolded in our Commonwealth Games closing ceremony blog, or have a look at the medal winners and the top 10 medal standings by country below:
Final day medal winners:
Gold:
The Kookaburras beat India in the men’s hockey
Silver:
Jian Fang Lay and Minhyung Jee claimed silver in the table tennis
Shixin Li and Maddison Keeney, diving, mixed 3m synchronized springboard
Bronze:
Cassiel Rousseau and Emily Boyd, diving, mixed synchronized 10m platform
The Commonwealth Games closing ceremony gave us a bright, bold, and banging Brummie farewell, and an uplifting handover to Victoria 2026.
So with the Games now officially over, we’ve picked out some of our favorite moments from the 11 absorbing days of competition.
Oliver Hoare stuns hot field to win 1,500m
From an Australian perspective, when it comes to a pure sporting spectacle against a world-class field, Oliver Hoare’s win in the men’s 1,500 meters is at the top.
Oliver Hoare won in breathtaking fashion.(Getty Images: David Ramos)
Hoare was racing against the current world champion as well as the reigning Olympic bronze and silver medalists.
It was perhaps the strongest field of any athletics event at the Games.
And not only did Hoare win it, he did it in the most breathtaking fashion.
Coming fourth around the bend, he started gaining ground in that final stretch, with those watching thinking, ‘He’s going to get bronze, he’s going to get silver … OH MY GOSH, HE’S WON IT!’
He lunged to the line as Kenya’s Abel Kipsang stumbled, and cemented his place in Australia’s middle-distance running folklore.
Packed crowds create brilliant atmosphere, especially for local athletes
When the members of the ABC Sport team turned up to Birmingham a few days before the Games began, we were a little worried.
The people we spoke to seemed almost oblivious that the Games were about to start, and there was an air of indifference around the town.
But once the opening ceremony rolled around, it was like a flick was switched, and Brummies turned out in force and in full voice.
It didn’t matter what the venue was — whether it was the 30,000 seat Alexander Stadium, or one of the small halls at the National Exhibition Center — the energy generated by the staunchly pro-England/Home Nations fans was invigorating.
There are a few events that stood out.
The 3×3 basketball men’s Ashes gold medal contest between England and Australia was out of control.
When Birmingham’s own Myles Hesson sunk the Australians in overtime, there was a mind-blowing explosion of noise that shook the small venue to its core.
Similarly, the women’s 10,000m final was something special to watch.
Scotland’s Eilish McColgan and Kenya’s Irine Cheptai were engaged in a tight battle, but as they embarked on the final lap, the crowd seemed to transfer their strength to McColgan and you could see the power of their voices pushing her to the line first.
Eilish McColgan and Irine Cheptai gave it everything in a thrilling final lap of the women’s 10,000m final.(Getty Images: Al Bello)
The best part was she added to her own family’s legacy. Her mum de ella, and coach, Liz McColgan (nee Nuttall) won the same event twice.
And Emily Campbell came into these Games with the weight of England on her shoulders.
She was the co-flag-bearer and was under immense pressure as the first female British weightlifter to get a medal at an Olympics — her silver in Tokyo last year.
She dealt with the occasion beautifully and was repaid by the jubilant home fans.
Micky Yule’s full-circle moment creates high emotion
It was one of the most extraordinary stories to come out of the Games.
Scotland’s Micky Yule lost both his legs when he stepped on an IED in Afghanistan while serving in the Royal Engineers 12 years ago.
He came to Birmingham’s Queen Elizabeth Hospital in a coma and spent the early weeks of his recovery here.
Nothing was going to stop Micky Yule from winning a medal in the men’s heavyweight division.(Getty Images: Al Bello)
The para powerlifter returned to the city full of raw passion, power and emotion, and claimed a bronze medal that meant the absolute world to him.
His six-year-old daughter Tilly was there. She joined him on the podium after the medal ceremony, and there were tears all around (including from this reporter) as he exemplified the truly transformative power of sport.
The thrill of being there
Gold is great. And sure, as Australians we especially love it come the Commonwealth Games, but there is something particularly striking about those athletes that are ecstatic to receive minor medals, or even just be there at all.
Diver Sam Fricker and wrestler Jayden Lawrence were among the Australian athletes absolutely overjoyed with their bronze medals.
Australia’s Jayden Lawrence (right) defeated South Africa’s Edward Lessing to claim bronze in the men’s freestyle wrestling 86kg.(Getty Images: Tom Dulat)
And England’s Liam Murray was the happiest non-medallist we encountered at the Games.
The para powerlifter lapped up every second of his experience at his home Games, egging the crowd on, who obliged with booming chants of “LIAM, LIAM” throughout his lifts in the men’s heavyweight final.
“When I had my [spinal cord] injury five years ago, I thought my life was over and now I’ve just experienced the best day of my life,” he told us after his fifth placing.
“So for anyone out there who’s struggling and going through hard times, there’s better times ahead.”
Australian record-breakers
It’s only fair to finish on the Australian athletes who set new standards at the Commonwealth Games with astonishing achievements.
Swimmer Emma McKeon won six gold medals to take her overall tally to 14 — the most won by any Australian.
And she now has the most medals of any Commonwealth Games athlete with 20.
Georgia Godwin was a breakout star in the artistic gymnastics with golds in the individual all-round event and vault, and silvers in the team final, uneven bars, and beam.
Madi de Rozario became Australia’s most successful Commonwealth Games para-athlete with four gold medals.
While the marathon had a disappointingly small field due to a number of issues, she still had to overcome one of the toughest courses of her career to win that event. Then she backed it up on the track in a 1,500m race that did n’t go to plan to add to her growing legacy of her.
And the team sports provided some priceless moments, from Australia’s women winning the inaugural T20 cricket gold, to the Diamonds avenging their pool defeat to Jamaica in the decider, and the Kookaburras winning a phenomenal seventh-straight men’s hockey gold.
Birmingham has set the standard, giving Victoria plenty to live up to in four years’ time.
Australia has become the first country to rack up 1,000 Commonwealth Games gold medals on the second last day of competition in Birmingham.
Day 10 saw some impressive team victories, including the Australian Women’s Cricket Team’s win over India and The Diamonds’ close win over Jamaica in the netball.
The victories by green and gold athletes means Australia maintains its lead at the top of the standings by 11 gold medals.
You can check out how theaction unfolded in our Commonwealth Games blog, or have a look at the medal winners and the top 10 medal standings by country below:
Day 10 medal standings:
Gold:
The Diamonds, netball
The Australian Women’s Cricket Team
Maddison Keeney, diving, 3m springboard
Kelsey-Lee Barber, athletics, javelin
Chris McHugh and Paul Burnett, beach volleyball
Georgia Baker, cycling, women’s road race
Cassiel Rousseau, diving, 10m platform
Silver:
Taliqua Clancy and Mariafe Arcacho del Solar, beach volley ball
The Australian women’s cricket team now officially has it all.
The T20 and ODI World Cup winners are Commonwealth Games champions too after a nine-run win over India in front of a bumper crowd at Edgbaston.
When we talk about greatness in Australian team sports, surely now they must be counted amongst the very best we’ve ever seen.
“It was certainly a medal that we never thought we’d ever win, we never thought we’d be a part of a Commonwealth Games,” Australia all-rounder Ash Gardner said.
“We’ve won a lot of medals, but I think this one’s pretty special.”
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The Australians batted first and made 8-161, largely thanks to Beth Mooney’s 61 off 41 balls.
As she so often does, India captain Harmanpreet Kaur took control to put India in a dangerous position before Gardner dismissed her for 65.
“I thought they had control that chase for a long period of that batting innings of theirs,” Mooney said.
“But on the flip side, I thought that if we got a couple of wickets that we were in with a real shot of turning the screws and putting the squeeze on them, which is what happened.”
India needed 11 runs off the final over, with two wickets left.
But Jess Jonassen delivered the goods with the ball as the Australians claimed another major title.
A strange sideshow played out during the game.
On the morning of the match Australia all-rounder Tahlia McGrath tested positive to COVID-19, but she was still allowed to play.
Tahlia McGrath motions for her teammates to stay away after taking a catch. McGrath tested positive for COVID before the match started.(Getty Images: Ryan Pierce)
In bizarre scenes, McGrath had to socially distance from her teammates when she took a catch – never mind that they were all touching the same ball.
And all the COVID safe protocols were forgotten when she was swept up by her teammates in the festivities at the end of the match.
“It’d be pretty upsetting for someone like Tahlia who’s been in this team not being able to hug her teammates when we’ve won a gold medal,” Mooney said.
“So hopefully they turn a blind eye to that and forget that happened.”
Megan Schutt said the team felt bad for McGrath.
“It was so weird. We didn’t want to get in trouble,” Schutt told the Sydney Morning Herald.
“We felt bad for Tahlia at the end there.
“At the end, screw it. If we get COVID, so be it.”
Hockeyroos win silver after defeat to England
The Hockeyroos finished with silver in Birmingham, just like they did four years ago on the Gold Coast.(Getty Images: Mark Kolbe)
The Hockeyroos were outmuscled by England in the women’s hockey gold medal match at Edgbaston Hockey Club, with the home side deservedly winning 2-1.
The Hockeyroos lacked fluency and the killer instinct in the circle, while England was boosted by a buoyant home crowd to win gold for the first time.
But instead of slumping to the ground in tears, or comforting each other, for the most part, the Australians kept a smile on their face, patted each other on the back, and tried to appreciate what they’d managed to achieve.
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Several weeks after winning a bronze medal at the World Cup, the Hockeyroos wanted to make sure they celebrated winning silver.
Coach Katrina Powell — a two-time Olympic gold medalist — gathered all players and support staff in a huddle on the pitch, and passionately spoke to the team.
“[I told them] how proud I am of them and how we progressed while we’ve been away and how hard it is,” Powell said.
“Also [I gave them] a little reminder that you do win silver, hockey competitions are really interesting that [people think] you lose gold.
“We just won a bronze, so we saw how much happier we were than the silver medalists at the World Cup.
“And I think you miss out on that fun, that excitement, that experience, if you’re not happy with winning silver.”
That’s not to say the Hockeyroos are content with remaining second best.
Powell took over the team just before the Tokyo Olympics, where they were knocked out in the quarter finals.
It is a new look team on the pitch and behind the scenes.
Powell says everyone in the program is “rejuvenated and refocused” as they look towards the Paris 2024 Olympics.
“I think one of the things we’ve learned is that we’re not quite there yet,” she said.
“And that’s a really powerful thing going forward to know that you’re happy and okay with where you’re at, but certainly not satisfied.”
World champion Kelsey-Lee Barber has delivered when it mattered most, claiming the Commonwealth Games gold medal in the women’s javelin with her final throw.
Key points:
Barber won gold with her final attempt of 64.43m
Little was second with a personal best of 64.27m
Barber won her second world championship last month
Australian teammate Mackenzie Little had led the competition into the sixth and final round after producing a personal best of 64.27 meters with her fifth effort.
But Barber — who was struck down by COVID-19 on the eve of the Commonwealth Games — showed cool nerves to unleash the winning throw of 64.43m with her final attempt.
Little took the silver medal only a fortnight after she finished fifth behind Barber at the world championships in Eugene.
She had set what was a personal best of 64.03m with her first attempt in the Birmingham final.
Mackenzie Little set a new PB with a throw of 64.27 meters.(Getty Images: David Ramos)
Barber’s win in Eugene was her second world championship, while she was a bronze medalist at the Tokyo Olympics.
The 30-year-old now has the full set of Commonwealth Games medals, having won bronze in 2014 and silver in 2018.
The bronze in Birmingham went to India’s Annu Rani with 60.00m.
In other events, Australia’s Declan Tingay was overtaken by Canadian veteran Evan Dunfee in the final lap of the men’s 10,000m walk and had to settle for silver.
Dunfee clocked a winning time of 38 minutes and 36.37 seconds ahead of Tingay in 38:42.33.
Australian Michelle Jenneke produced another fast time but it provided only good enough for fifth in a red-hot 100m hurdles final.
World record holder Tobi Amusan from Nigeria blew the field away with a winning time of 12.30, smashing the 16-year-old Games record of 12.65 in the process.
Jenneke’s fellow Australian Celeste Mucci was seventh in 13.03.
Muzala Samukonga (44.66) won Zambia’s first gold medal of the Birmingham Games, storming home over the top of local hope Matthew Hudson-Smith (44.81) in the men’s 400m final.
Australian Steve Solomon was seventh in 46.22, ending another injury-blighted season.
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
The women’s 10,000m race in Birmingham has produced one of the iconic moments of the Commonwealth Games, with Scotland’s Eilish McColgan upsetting the odds to emulate her mother Liz Nuttall by taking gold in the event.
The pair had an emotional embrace in the stands after the race, which saw McColgan break the Commonwealth Games record.
Nuttall (formerly Liz McColgan), won the women’s 10,000m world title and the 10,000m crown at the Commonwealth Games in Edinburgh in 1986.
She went on to successfully defend her title in Auckland four years later. In the process she set a Commonwealth Games record for the event of 31 minutes 41.42 seconds.
Eilish McColgan and Irine Cheptai gave it everything in a thrilling final lap of the women’s 10,000m final, before McColgan came away to win.(Getty Images: Al Bello)
Thirty two years on, her daughter came into the 10,000m facing the task of beating favorite Irine Cheptai of Kenya.
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The 25-lap race was a tactical battle, with McColgan lifting the slow early pace before it evolved into an elite group of six, that then became a group of three with Cheptai and compatriot Sheila Chepkirui Kiprotich.
Kiprotich then dropped back with a suspected leg problem, leaving McColgan and Cheptai alone.
The crowd in the Alexander Stadium roared her on, McColgan gritted her teeth and hung in on the final lap as she refused to be broken by the Kenyan runner.
The pair ran down the back straight with Cheptai leading by a meter or so, but McColgan was still there and kept responding to every move.
As they ran towards the final turn, McColgan was on her shoulder and the crowd noise grew again.
The Scottish runner seemed to lose balance slightly but regathered herself for one last push entering the straight. She finally drew level and then moved in front.
Both women were on the limit, but McColgan had enough in reserve to draw ahead in the final stages and sprint clear for gold.
The emotions were high for Eilish McColgan as the Scottish runner brought the house down with a stirring win in the 10,000m, like her mother had 32 and 36 years previously.(Getty Images: David Ramos)
She raised her arms in triumph as she crossed the line, then the tears flowed for McColgan as she tried to process the fact she had won.
McColgan stopped the clock in a time of 30:48.60, smashing the existing Games record by nearly 40 seconds — another Kenyan, Selina Kosgei, had broken Nuttall’s mark at the Manchester Games in 2002.
As the crowd went crazy, she waved to the stands, while draped in a Scottish flag.
McColgan then ran over to her mother in the stands, and the pair embraced as first McColgan and then Nuttall teared up.
The Scottish team has now won seven gold medals in Birmingham.
Hamish Kerr makes history with high jump gold. Video/Sky Sport
All you need to know from yet another successful day at the Commonwealth Games for New Zealand athletes as they claimed historic gold medals.
king of the mountains
Ben Oliver (L) and Sam Gaze celebrate yet another one-two finish for New Zealand in Commonwealth Games mountain biking. Photo / Photosport
Day six began with a bang for New Zealand as Sam Gaze made it back-to-back Commonwealth Games golds in the men’s mountain bike event after a dominant display that also produced silver for fellow Kiwi rider Ben Oliver.
Gaze was in commanding form on Thursday, finishing 31 seconds ahead of Oliver to make it three straight Games that New Zealand has completed a one-two, after Anton Cooper pipped Gaze in Glasgow and before that outcome was acrimoniously reversed on the Gold Coast.
The race was denied the chance of reigniting Gaze and highly-ranked Cooper’s heated rivalry after the latter withdrew from the event due to Covid-19. That left Oliver the opportunity to make his way up the field and he did so well, improving from his fourth place on the Gold Coast in 2018.
Check out or full report from the circuit here.
Paul Coll rallies to new height
Paul Coll with the gold medal he’s been dreaming of all week long. Photo / Photosport
Coll has capped off a huge few years at the top level of men’s squash by winning gold in a tough five-set battle with Wales’ Joel Makin.
After winning silver four years ago on the Gold Coast, Coll briefly ascended to No 1 in the world earlier this year and in 2021 became the first Kiwi man to win the prestigious British Open title, while defending that crown again in April.
History was made again today as Coll became the first Kiwi man to win a gold medal in squash at a Commonwealth Games.
Earlier in the day, Joelle King blew a 2-0 lead in her bronze medal playoff to lose in five sets to world No 6 and hometown favorite Sarah Jane Perry.
Check out Albie Redmore’s full report from the court here.
White men can jump
Hamish Kerr is building an impressive resume amongst the world’s best high jumpers. Photo / Photosport
Christchurch’s Hamish Kerr became the first Kiwi man to win a Commonwealth Games high jump medal, claiming a shiny new gold for his cupboard.
Kerr ended up in a head-to-head battle with Australian Brandon Starc, the 2018 gold medal winner and younger brother of cricketer Mitchell Starc.
Both cleared 2.25m and failed at 2.28m, but Starch had earlier failures at lower heights whereas Kerr had been clear.
Kerr joins Tania Murray (nee Dixon) and Tracy Phillips, who claimed gold and bronze respectively in the women’s event at the 1990 Commonwealth Games in Auckland.
Maddi Wesche was a cool customer on the Commonwealth Games days. Photo/Getty
Kerr’s medal was one of two in athletics for the day, with shot putter Maddi Wesche taking out bronze with a throw of 18.84m, a touch shorter than her throw of 18.98m in the final of the Tokyo Olympics. Canada’s Sarah Mitton won gold with a throw of 19.03m.
In the women’s 100m final, Kiwi sprinter Zoe Hobbs finished sixth with a time of 11.19s. She would’ve needed to better her personal best of 11.08 to challenge for the podium.
Olympic champion Elaine Thompson-Herah of Jamaica took out gold with a time of 10.95, with St Lucian Julien Alfred second in 11.01 and England’s Daryll Neita third in 11.07.
Check out our full report from the athletics here.
Liti salvages silver from tough day
David Liti poses with his silver medal besides coach Tina Ball. Photo / Photosport
Popular Kiwi weightlifter David Liti fell short of a second straight Commonwealth Games gold medal but still came away with a silver on a day when he couldn’t find his best form.
Liti set a new Games record in 2018 with a combined weight of 403kg and lifted a total of 417kg at last year’s Olympics. However, he could only muster a total of 394kg on Thursday, leaving the door open for Pakistan’s Nooh Dastgir Butt to claim the gold with a total of 405kg.
The loss to Butt has sparked a desire for revenge in Liti, who says he’s now looking forward to a repeat match up at the world championships.
“He did really good to keep himself ahead, and next time I face off with him it’ll definitely be a good one,” Liti said. “If he comes to worlds, I’ll show him what’s up.”
Check out our full report from the weightlifting here.
Three medal haul for Judo team
Kody Andrews was a proud silver medalist on Thursday. Photo / Photosport
It was a superb day for the New Zealand judo team with Kody Andrews leading a three medal haul with silver in the men’s 100kg event after being pinned by Canada’s Marc Deschenes early in the gold medal bout to lose by Ippon.
Moira De Villiers claimed bronze in the women’s -78kg after defeating Ayuk Otay Arrey Sophina of Cameroon by Ippon with 28 seconds left. It’s her second medal from her after winning silver in Glasgow eight years ago. She defeated fellow Kiwi Hayley Mackey in the quarter-finals, one of her her students at the judo club she runs with her husband Jason Koster in Christchurch. She was then beaten by England’s Emma Reid in the semifinals who went onto win gold.
The bronze bout was a close thing but de Villiers kept her calm and got the win just at the end.
“[It’s] super special. It wasn’t what I wanted but I’m still glad I was able to represent New Zealand and get another medal. I just knew she would gas after a minute I just had to keep going and be a little bit of a dogfight. I’m ruthless on the ground so I knew I was going to get it,” she told Sky Sport.
Gisborne’s Sydnee Andrews also claimed bronze with the 19-year-old promising gold in four years’ time after defeating Sarah Hawkes of Northern Ireland in their women’s +78kg bronze bout.
Clareburt bags a bronze
Lewis Clareburt has added a bronze to his medal collection. Photo / Photosport
Lewis Clareburt’s quest for a third gold medal fell just short as he picked up a bronze to end his campaign.
The Kiwi finished third in the 200m individual medley final with Scotland’s Duncan Scott taking the gold ahead of Tom Dean of England.
18-year-old Erika Fairweather qualified fastest for the 400m freestyle final but couldn’t match world record holder Ariarne Titmus and young Canadian star Summer McIntosh in the final.
Fairweather battled Aussie Kiah Melverton for bronze, just missing out on the medals by 0.60 seconds in a time of 4:03.84. Fellow Kiwi Eve Thomas was seventh in 4:09.73.
To view a full list of every result by every Kiwi athlete and team, check out our full schedule and results.
Medals today:
Gold – Paul Coll – Men’s squash Gold – Hamish Kerr – Men’s high jump Gold – Sam Gaze – Men’s mountain bike Silver – Ben Oliver – Men’s mountain bike Silver – Kody Andrews – Judo – Men’s 100kg+ Silver – David Liti – Weightlifting – Men’s +109kg Bronze – Sydnee Andrews – Judo – Women’s 78kg+ Bronze – Moira Koster – Judo – Women’s 78kg Bronze – Lewis Clareburt – Swimming – Men’s 200 IM Bronze – Maddi Wesche – Athletics – Women’s shot put
Australia’s Charisma Amoe-Tarrant pumped her arms, thanked the crowd, and pointed to the sky to as she secured a bronze medal in the women’s 87+ kilogram category at the Commonwealth Games.
“That’s for my mum, and also my uncle who passed away from cancer, and I know he was also very supportive of my lifting, like my mum,” she said.
“All the lifting is for them.”
Amoe-Tarrant was born in Nauru and lived there until she was 12 years of age.
Her mother died of kidney problems in 2009, so she and her siblings were adopted by their grandparents, who brought them to Australia.
Four years ago, Amoe-Tarrant won a silver medal for her country of birth, and now the 23-year-old has one as an Australian.
“I’m representing both countries and I’m proud to be Australian and I’m also proud to be a Nauruan at the end of the day, so no one can take that away from me,” she said.
Amoe-Tarrant says she felt a lot of pressure coming into the Games and carried knee and elbow injuries into the competition.
Spurred on by a rapturous crowd, Amoe-Tarrant summoned everything she had to produce a clean and jerk that secured the bronze medal by 1kg.
“The crowd at the last Games was good. Here it’s just amazing,” she said.
“They were really the ones that helped me get that second lift [to clinch a medal].”
England’s Emily Campbell lives up to expectations to win gold
England’s Emily Campbell delighted the home crowd with a combined total of 286 kilograms to win gold in the women’s 87+kg weightlifting.(Getty Images: Ryan Pierce)
Being the “face” of an Olympics or Commonwealth Games in your home country can be a blessing or a burden for many athletes.
Cathy Freeman is the most enduring Australian example from Sydney 2000 and, in Birmingham 2022, the mantle has fallen to England’s co-flagbearer Emily Campbell.
And, just like Freeman, she created her own magic moment in history.
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Campbell became the first female British weightlifter to win an Olympic medal, with silver in the 87+kg category in Tokyo last year.
In Birmingham, she was clearly a cut above the rest, lifting a Games record 286kg across the snatch and the clean and jerk to win gold.
Campbell took off her belt and whipped it around her head in elation, as the home fans let loose in celebration.
“I don’t think we’ve ever had a crowd that immense and so reactive. It was sensational. They were enjoying every minute and embracing every athlete,” she said.
“Some will say it’s a perfect Games, to walk out for that kind of opening ceremony was immense for starters, to lead out the home nation at a home Games.
“It’s a very special privilege and something I’ll remember forever.”
Since Tokyo, Campbell has made sure to use her growing profile and platform to send important messages.
Competing in the heaviest category for women, she is passionate about body positivity.
“I want people to see that it doesn’t matter what shape [or] size you are, you can do whatever makes you happy,” she said.
“I’ve been out there and had to put on body weight for this, but it’s made me the champion that I am today because it means my body’s functional and it’s strong.
“And that’s just proving to everybody I’m still healthy, but I don’t look like everybody else.”
Campbell has also spoken out about racism, and is proud of her Jamaican heritage. Her sister, Kelsie Campbell, even competed for Jamaica at Birmingham in the swimming.
“My dad is one of the reasons why I am where I am today. He came from Jamaica with not much. He grafted his heart [out] to have everything to give me my sister,” she said.
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There was weightlifting royalty in the crowd, too, to cheer Campbell on.
Four-time Commonwealth champion — and the first English weightlifter to carry the flag at the Games — Precious McKenzie, now 86, watched on.
“His words to me before I came out today were, ‘Everyone’s expecting you to win. Go out and win.’ I couldn’t ask for better advice — just go and get the job done,” Campbell said.
“He’s done so much for weightlifting and he’s here still, giving back to the sport at 86 years [of age]. I hope I can keep giving back to the sport as well.”
An underground incident in one of Australia’s largest gold mines has forced the evacuation of staff and extraction to be suspended.
Key points:
Extraction at one of Australia’s biggest gold mines has been suspended due to an underground incident
Cadia Mine was evacuated after instability was detected in a ventilation shaft
A road bordering the mine has been temporarily shut for safety reasons
Cadia Gold Mine near Orange in the central west of New South Wales has not mined any ore for almost two weeks after it halted underground work on July 22.
Its surface operations, which involve the production of gold and copper concentrate, are still operating and it says it still delivering the same volume of product as usual.
General manager Aaron Brannigan released a statement after the mine was evacuated that said the decision was made to ensure the health and safety of its workforce.
“The evacuation was due to instability in one of Cadia’s vent rises [ventilation shafts],” Mr Brannigan said.
“All personnel were unarmed and many are continuing work in other areas of the operation.”
A section of Cadia Road between Woodville and Panuara roads is shut as a precaution following an incident in the underground mine.(ABC Central West: Joanna Woodburn)
The Environment Protection Authority and NSW Resources Regulator have confirmed water from an intersecting aquifer has flowed into the ventilation tunnel.
The Natural Resources Access Regulator said it was also investigating the incident.
Cadia confirmed it was carrying out visual assessments.
“We have limited access to the vent rise [and] we will complete our visual inspections through remote techniques and technologies as soon as it is safe to do so,” a statement said.
Damage closes road
The damage underground has also now forced the partial closure of a road bordering the mine.
Cadia Road between Panuara and Woodville roads has been shut and it was not yet known when it would reopen.
The mine is owned by Newcrest Mining, which hosted a community meeting on Tuesday night.
Local farmer Gemma Green said she had not realized how close the ventilation shaft was to Cadia Road.
“It’s actually closer than I thought, it’s about 35 to 45 meters from that main public road,” Ms Green said.
“I would not have that road open after what I heard last night.
“The instability in that top 100 meters that was shared and the potential crumbling of what they call the collar.
“My biggest concern is emergency services route, in the event that someone has to call an ambulance.”
A local road bordering Cadia Gold Mine has been partially shut after its underground mine was forced to temporarily close.(ABC Central West: Joanna Woodburn)
Water concerns
Gemma Green chairs the Cadia Community and Sustainability Group and said one if its key issues was the protection of local water sources.
“The damage is obviously very serious and one of their key intentions is to stop that water flowing into the ventilation shaft,” she said.
“Newcrest made it very clear that their intention is to stop the water as quickly and safely as they can.
“I’d be encouraging people to give their feedback locally in and around that aquifer in the event they have changes in their bore levels.”
In a statement on Wednesday Cadia’s general manager Aaron Brannigan said the proposed response plan would be carried out in a series of steps.
“The initial assessment of the area directly surrounding the ventilation [shaft] to ensure it is safe to access, the mobilization of drill rigs to install a high-pressure grout curtain to minimize the water inflow and filling the vent with inert rock material to stabilize it,” the statement said.
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