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.
Australia took home a stunning nine gold medals on Saturday and there are plenty more chances to add to the tally on Day 10 of the Commonwealth Games.
Foxsports.com.au has you covered with live updates from all the key events, which you can follow below!
DAY 9 WRAP: Aussies claim nine gold in staggering Commonwealth Games blitz
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Hoare bags SENSATIONAL 1500m Gold! | 00:32
AUSSIE WINS SILVER IN FIRST-EVER GAMES
In his first Commonwealth Games, Lin Ma has secured a silver medal for Australia in the men’s table tennis singles Classes 8-10.
Ma sadly lost to Wales’ Joshua Stacey, who won by three sets to two.
BAKER WINS GOLD!
Georgia Baker has won Australia’s first gold medal of the day after taking out the women’s road race in cycling.
It was a grueling race that pushed the six-strong Australian contingent to the brink, but Baker finished first over the line in what was her third gold medal in Birmingham.
Baker is joined on the podium by fellow Aussie Sarah Roy, who came third.
JUMPING JENNEKE JUST SHY OF PB IN HURDLES FINAL
Michelle Jenneke was unfortunately outclassed in the women’s 100m hurdles final, as Nigeria’s Tobi Amusan took home the gold medal.
Jenneke was right in the mix at the very start, but the heavy hitters eventually pulled away.
However, the Aussie was still all smiles after the race after finishing fifth with a time of 12.68.
Gold medal winner Amusan crossed the line at 12.30, setting a new Commonwealth Games record.
Celeste Mucci, the other Australian competing in the race, came second-last but gave everything she had in the final.
HEARTBREAK AS AUSSIE STAR HOSPITALISED
Australian cycling star Rohan Dennis has unfortunately been forced to withdraw from the men’s road race, joining Caleb Ewan on the sidelines.
An Aus Cycling statement read: “Rohan Dennis will take no further part in the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games following medical advice.
Dennis, who took gold in the Men’s Individual Time Trial on Thursday, woke up on Saturday morning in discomfort and was taken to a local hospital to undergo tests and observations.
As a precaution, Dennis was advised to withdraw from today’s road race, but remains comfortable and under observation.”
Australia’s six-man team for the event is now down to four, with Luke Durbridge, Luke Plapp, Miles Scotson and Sam Fox set to compete.
Australian Michelle Jenneke came fifth in the 100m hurdles final. Picture: Michael KleinSource: News Corp Australia
ATHLETICS
It all kicks off on the track with the men’s triple jump final, with Julian Konle competing at around 7.15pm.
Elsewhere, after Jemima Montag’s heroics in the women’s 10km race walk, fellow Australians Rhydian Cowley, Kyle Swan and Declan Tingay will also be going for gold in the men’s event at 8.20pm.
Tokyo 2020 Olympic bronze medalist Kelsey-Lee Barber will then be competing in the women’s javelin final at around 8.35pm (AEST).
Barber won bronze in the 2014 Commonwealth Games and silver in 2018, aiming to go one better this time around and claim gold.
She is in fine form, coming off a historic defense of her javelin world championships title in Eugene, Oregon.
Fellow Australian Mackenzie Little will also be competing for a medal in the final.
The men’s 4×100 relay final may have ended in heartbreak for Australia but the women will have a shot at a medal when they take to the track at 9.54pm.
Browning FALLS, relay goes begging! | 00:28
Of course, there will be plenty of support for peter bol too, who is competing in the men’s 800m final at around 4.35am.
Jessica Hull is also a strong chance at a medal when she competes in the women’s 1500m final alongside fellow Australians Abbey Caldwell and Linden Hall.
Caldwell and Hall progressed to the final after finishing inside the top four of their race with times of 4:13.59 and 4:14.08 respectively while Hull had a time of 4:16.13.
CRICKET
Australia won a thriller in the opening pool game against India but will they be able to get past their fierce rivals when it matters most?
The two will face off for the gold medal in the T20 final, with that game scheduled around 2 am.
Hot favorites Australia toppled New Zealand by five wickets in their semi-final while India edged England by four runs in a thrilling contest.
Ash Gardner was the hero when these two sides met in the pool stages, striking an unbeaten 52 from 35 balls to help the gold medal favorites chase down a 155-run target.
Australia struggled early in that game, with Indian seamer Renuka Singh recording 4-18 in just four overs as the top-order fell apart before Gardner’s heroics saved the day.
Hoare bags SENSATIONAL 1500m Gold! | 00:32
netball
It all comes down to this for our Aussie Diamonds, who will take on Jamaica in the gold medal match at 5.30am.
Australia gave up a six-goal lead in a stunning 57-55 loss to Jamaica in the pool stages, with international superstar Jhaniele Fowler starring in the upset win.
The West Coast Fever sensation scored 47 goals and backed it up with a perfect 54 from just as many attempts as a perfect shooting night saw Jamaica take down the Silver Ferns in the semis.
Australia booked its spot in the final with a 60-51 win over England in a spiteful game in the early hours of Sunday morning.
Gretel Bueta was the standout in that victory, with 43 goals at 98 per cent accuracy.
Gretel Bueta in action. (Photo by Eddie Keogh/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
HOCKEYROOS
And as if the cricket and netball finals were not enough, the Hockeyroos will also be in action against England in the women’s gold medal match.
That final is scheduled for midnight, with Australia booking its spot in the decider after defeating New Zealand and India.
BEACH VOLLEYBALL
There are two chances for Australia to claim gold in beach volleyball, with the first final at 1 am ace Paul Burnett and Chris McHugh take on Canada.
Later in the early hours of the morning, attention will turn towards the women’s doubles final. Mariafe Artacho of the Solar and Taliqua Clancy took home silver for Australia at Tokyo and will be looking to make it gold at Birmingham when they face defending champions Canada at 6 am.
CYCLING
Four men will be representing Australia in the men’s road race at 9:30pm.
BADMINTON & TABLE TENNIS
Hsuan-Yu Wendy Chen and Gronya Somerville will be looking to progress through to the gold medal match when they play England in the women’s doubles semi-final.
In the table tennis, Lin Ma will have a shot at gold when he competes in the men’s singles class 8-10 final at 7.10pm.
Meanwhile, Yangzi Liu will be going for bronze in the women’s singles table tennis at 8.05pm before Finn Luu and Nicholas Lum do the same in the men’s doubles event at 10.05pm.
Gronya Somerville of Team Australia celebrates winning a point. (Photo by Alex Pantling/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
BOXING
There are plenty of chances for gold in the ring too, with kaye scott and Callum Peters both in action in finals at 8.15pm and 8.45pm respectively.
Edgardo Coumi, Caitlin Anne Parker and Tina Rahimi all lost their semi-finals on Saturday.
DIVING
14-year-old starlet Charlie Petrov and veteran Melissa Wu took gold in the women’s 10m synchronized dive and there are more opportunities for medals on Sunday.
All eyes will be on Brittany O’Brien, Madison Keeney and Georgia Shehan as they compete for a medal in the women’s 3m springboard prelims at 8.44pm.
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