Glasgow: England’s Alex Dowsett and Linda Villumsen of New Zealand both went one better to win gold medals in the men’s and women’s cycling individual time-trials at the Glasgow Commonwealth Games on Thursday.
Dowsett, second to David Millar four years ago, claimed Commonwealth gold for England in a closely-contested race through the streets and suburbs of Glasgow.
He timed 47 minutes 41.78 with Australian rider Rohan Dennis crossing the line nine seconds slower to take silver and Geraint Thomas grabbing third to claim the bronze for Wales
It was England’s first gold medal in road cycling in 28 years since the Edinburgh 1986 Games.
Villumsen, also a silver medallist in New Delhi, produced a storming finish to clock 42 minutes 25.46 seconds and pip England’s Emma Pooley.
Pooley, who is to retire after the Games, had to settle for silver while Australia’s Katrin Garfoot took the bronze.
“It is just incredible; it’s something I’ve worked hard for over the last four years now,” the 29-year-old, who was second in last year’s world championships, said.
“Every year at the Olympics or the world championships, I am always nearly there but missing something. I came here thinking that it could happen again but today finally everything worked out from start to finish so I’m really happy,” Villumsen added.
There was gold also for South Africa early on Thursday in the lawn bowls para open triples. South Africa defeated New Zealand 13-11 in the final at Kelvingrove.
It was the fourth lawn bowls gold to date for the South African team, the first time that has been achieved at a Commonwealth Games.
In field hockey, England’s men moved through to a semi-final clash with champions Australia after a routine 3-1 win over Canada. The Australians were too good for Scotland winning 5-0
New Zealand ensured they finish top of Group B by defeating Malaysia 6-1.
With no early track and field session at Hampden Park, the focus was all on the evening’s action where Olympic champions David Rudisha and Sally Pearson were set to take centre stage with a total of seven gold medals up for grabs.
Kenya’s Rudisha, who set a blistering world record when winning Olympic gold in London in 2012, will go in the 800m against arch-rival Nijel Amos of Botswana.
“I’m happy to have qualified through the heat and the semi-finals. I am looking forward to the final. The final is my main competition and I am looking forward to it,” said Rudisha.
In the absence of Usain Bolt, Jamaica’s world silver and Olympic bronze medallist Warren Weir and teammates Jason Livermore and Rasheed Dwyer were hoping to emulate Kemar Bailey-Cole’s victory in the men’s 100m.
The men’s 400m hurdles also featured a strong line-up for the final, with Jehue Gordon gunning for Trinidad and Tobago’s first track gold, but with South African Cornel Fredericks looking strong.
There were also finals in the men’s discus, while the women also have the 400m hurdles and discus.
Australia’s Olympic champion Sally Pearson was hoping to put the controversy over suspended head coach Eric Hollingsworth behind her when she takes to the track for heats in the 100m hurdles.
Hollingsworth was suspended on Wednesday after disparaging comments about the star hurdler missing a pre-Games training camp.
In all 25 golds were up for grabs on Thursday.
Five were in gymnastics with finals in men’s floor, women’s vault, men’s pommel horse, women’s uneven bars and men’s rings.
Four were to be decided in wrestling and two in diving.
Weightlifting concluded with the men’s +105kg where Australia’s Damon Kelly defended his title against the favoured challenge of Nauru’s Itte Detenamo, who finished above the Australian at the 2012 Olympics.
