March 26, 2006	Sunday	Safar 25, 1427

Please Visit our Sponsor (Ads open in separate window)

MELBOURNE, March 25: World 100 metres record holder Asafa Powell led Jamaica to the 4x100m relay title at the Commonwealth Games on Saturday to give the Caribbean island a full house of the sprint titles.

While 23-year-old Powell added a second gold to his individual crown so too did Sherri-Ann Brooks in the women’s relay as the Jamaicans added to their successes in the men and women’s 100 and 200m and the 100m and 110m hurdles.

However they were to prove fallible at last in the women’s 4x400m relay as looking destined for another gold, the runaway leaders contrived to mess up the second exchange between Novlene Williams and Shellene Williams.

England benefited and won but were subsequently disqualified lifting Australia into gold to go with their 4x400m men’s team - giving both Jana Pittman and John Steffensen their second titles of the week.

They were to round off the night and the athletics in perfect style as Kym Howe led a 1-2 in the women’s pole vault vaulting a new Games and national record of 4.62 metres. Defending champion Tatiana Grigorieva was second.

It had not initially been such a happy final night of athletics for the hosts on the track.

In front of 83,000 spectators first the men’s 4x100m relay team failed to pass the baton on the last exchange between Adam Miller - who would probably not have been in the team if Joshua Ross had not hurt his hamstring in the semi-final - and Matt Shirvington.

What really hurt the Aussies was that they were ahead of Jamaica at that point, though, Powell would probably have taken care of Shirvington anyway.

Worse was to come as their men’s 1500m title hope Craig Mottram fell after being pushed with just under two laps to go and was never able to get back into contention, the 5,000m silver medallist eventually finishing ninth.

The title went to emerging New Zealand talent Nicholas Willis, who is fast erasing Kiwi great John Walker from the top of the national lists as he improved on the latter’s two silvers at the event.

England celebrated double success as two athletes who won minor medals in the 2002 edition turned them into gold here, Nick Neiland in the javelin and Phillips Idowu in the triple jump.

Uganda too had something to celebrate as, having come into the Games without a title to their name, they won their second in a week.

Boniface Toroitich was their hero in the 10,000m gaining some consolation for the fourth places he endured in both the Olympics and the world championships.

While Powell was happy to have achieved his target of two golds at the Games, he was upset the Australians had failed to finish.

“I wanted Australia to finish the race, so we could get a better time.” said Powell.

Shirvington took the blow with good grace.

“We came out expecting to win. But I guess its just the way it goes and it just happens sometimes.”

Mottram too showed he could take losing with good grace.

“It was unfortunate,” said the 25-year-old, who took bronze in the world 5000m final last year.

“I started Monday with a great result and finished tonight with not such a good one.

“I was hit from behind, I think by the British guy, who was pushed. He fell onto me.

“It was a racing accident.”—Agencies

Medal table

G S B T

1. Australia 79 64 64 207

2. England 32 39 29 100

3. Canada 22 28 30 80

4. India 21 17 10 48

5. South Africa 12 12 13 37

6. Scotland 11 7 10 28

7. Jamaica 10 4 8 22

8. Kenya 6 5 7 18

9. New Zealand 5 10 13 28

10. Malaysia 4 7 7 18

11. Nigeria 4 5 6 15

12. Singapore 4 4 5 13

13. Wales 3 5 10 18

14. Cyprus 3 1 2 6

15. Ghana 2 0 1 3

15=. Uganda 2 0 1 3

17. Pakistan 1 2 1 4

18. Papua New Guinea 1 1 0 2

19. Tanzania 1 0 1 2

19=. Isle of Man 1 0 1 2

19=. Namibia 1 0 1 2

22. Sri Lanka 1 0 0 1

23. Mauritius 0 3 0 3

24. Northern Ireland 0 2 0 2

24=. Bahamas 0 2 0 2

26. Cameroon 0 1 2 3

27. Malta 0 1 1 2

27=. Nauru 0 1 1 2

27=. Botswana 0 1 1 2

30. Grenada 0 1 0 1

30=. Bangladesh 0 1 0 1

30=. Lesotho 0 1 0 1

33. Trinidad and Tobago 0 0 3 3

34. Seychelles 0 0 2 2

35. Fiji 0 0 1 1

35=. Mozambique 0 0 1 1

35=. Samoa 0 0 1 1

35=. Barbados 0 0 1 1

35=. Swaziland 0 0 1 1