×
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT

Super Vikas basks in golden glow

Last Updated 31 July 2014, 21:49 IST

On a wet, wet Thursday at the Hampden Park, Vikas Shive Gowda wrote a little piece of history for himself and his country at the Commonwealth Games.

The strapping Indian discus thrower claimed the gold medal, becoming only the second Indian man to climb the top of the podium in Commonwealth Games history.

It was 56 years ago that the legendary Milkha Singh won the first athletics gold medal for India in the Commonwealth Games in Cardiff while in 2010, Krishna Poonia picked up a gold in women’s discus.

On Thursday, Vikas joined that exclusive club, battling conditions that challenged all the throwers. The 31-year-old had a best of 63.64 metres on the day, putting him ahead of Apostolos Parellis of Cyprus (63.32 metres) and Jason Morgan (62.34) of Jamaica.

The Asian champion’s best effort came in the third round, after he opened with a 60.63M throw and had delivered an effort of 62.09 in the second round. His fourth throw was a foul and the fifth read 62.17 metres. With the others not able to match him, the gold was in his bag before he stepped up for the final throw, which too proved to be a foul.

A delighted Vikas, who had won a silver in the New Delhi Games four years ago with a 63.69M effort, took the National flag from his father Shive Gowda before going on a victory lap. “It feels great to win the gold. I was a bit apprehensive because of the wet conditions,” said the 31-year-old Mysore-born Vikas.

Father Shive was equally happy. “The weather was a worry but he did well given the conditions,” said Shive.

James dazzles

On Wednesday, Olympic champion Kirani James lit up the Games with a devastating and graceful run to win gold in the men's 400 metres.

James took charge of the final from the start and looked in complete control as he finished in a Games record time of 44.24 seconds ahead of South Africa's Wayde van Niekerk and Trinidad and Tobago's Lalonde Gordon.

"I expected to have a great performance," James told reporters. "I can't predict the outcome of the event but all I can do is come out here and try my best.

"Every championship, every accolade, is unique in its own way and these Games are no different. I think the crowd really makes it special; the stadium was full at 10am, that says something about Scotland and how much they appreciate track and field."

New Zealand's double Olympic shot put champion Valerie Adams claimed her third Commonwealth gold medal with a throw of 19.88 and Australia's Kim Mickle won the women's javelin title thanks to a Games record throw of 65.96.

Tintu exits

India’s 800M record holder Tintu Luka bowed out in the semifinals, after finishing seventh with a time of 2:03.35. Tintu struggled to match the others, especially after she received an elbow from Kenyan world champion Eunice Sum early in the race.

Results: Men: 400M: Kirani James (Grenada) 44.24 seconds, 1; Wayde van Niekerk (South Africa) 44.68, 2; Lalonde Gordon (Trinidad and Tobago) 44.78, 3.
 High jump: Derek Drouin (Canada) 2.31 metres, 1; Kyriakos Iaonnou (Cyprus) 2.28, 2; Michael Mason (Canada) 2.25, 3.

Long jump: Greg Rutherford (England) 8.20, 1; Zarck Visser (South Africa) 8.12, 2; Rushwahl Samaai (South Africa) 8.08, 3.

Women: 3000M steeplechase: Purity Cherotich Kirui (Kenya) 9:30.96, 1; Milcah Chemos Cheywa (Kenya) 9:31.30, 2; Joan Kipkemoi (Kenya) 9:33.34, 3.
Shot put: Valerie Adams (New Zealand) 19.88, 1; Cleopatra Borel (T&T) 8.57, 2; Julie Labonte (Canada) 17.58, 3.

ADVERTISEMENT
(Published 31 July 2014, 21:26 IST)

Follow us on

ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT