GLASGOW: Australia’s Michael Shelley stunned the favourites from east Africa to win the men’s marathon gold at the Commonwealth Games on Sunday, but Flomena Daniel spearheaded a Kenyan one-two in the women’s race.

Shelley, who finished 16th in the London Olympics, clocked a personal best of 2hr 11min 15sec on the largely flat course around the streets of Glasgow, to better his silver-medal showing in Delhi four years ago.

Shelley became the first Australian to win the Games marathon for 20 years and the first to claim consecutive medals in the event since Steve Moneghetti in 1990 and 1994.

Kenya’s Stephen Chemlany clinched silver and Abraham Kiplimo of Uganda took bronze, both winning the first medals for their countries in Glasgow. It was also Uganda’s first Games medal ever in the men’s marathon.

More Kenyan medals followed soon afterwards when Daniel capped an excellent performance to win gold ahead of compatriot Caroline Kilel.

Australia Jess Trengove added to her country’s burgeoning medal tally when she crossed the line for bronze to cheers from a large crowd on a drizzly day in Scotland.

“I’ve got to pinch myself, it is very exciting,” Shelley told reporters. “To come back and actually win is indescribable. Now I have had a bit more experience, to come away with my first win is indescribable.

“You just try to run the best you possibly can and it was a dream to be honest. I’m still buzzing, I can’t believe it. It probably wasn’t until a kilometre out that I got a bit of a feeling.

“I just kept pushing on. My main idea was to stay relaxed and I was always there in the lead group. At 35 kilometres there was a surge. I just had to stay strong and it paid off.”

The marathon marked the start of the athletics competition at the Glasgow games, which conclude next Saturday.

It will include an appearance by Usain Bolt in Jamaica’s 4x100m relay team. A left foot injury meant the Olympic champion was not able to qualify for the games in his individual sprint races over 100 and 200 metres.

In the pool world champion Cate Campbell looked in supreme form as she cruised into the semi-finals of the women’s 100m freestyle.

The Australian exacted a little revenge on Fran Halsall after being beaten to gold in the 50m freestyle by the Englishwoman on Saturday by qualifying fastest in a time of 53:20sec.

“It was a pretty fast heat swim, but I know from experience that if you go too slowly you start to shut down the systems,” she said. “I always get more nervous before the 50m. It is not my bread and butter anymore. I have moved to the main course in the 100m.”

Just as in Saturday’s men’s 100m breaststroke, 19-year-old Englishman Adam Peaty beat South African world record holder Cameron van der Burgh into second place in qualifying fastest for the 50m breaststroke semi-finals.

Peaty set another new Commonwealth Games record in the process of 27:00 sec in the process with Scotland’s Ross Murdoch qualifying third fastest.

“It was good. I didn’t think I would have to swim that fast this morning, “said Peaty.

The quarter-finals of the rugby sevens at Ibrox Park saw wins for New Zealand over Kenya (19-7), Australia over Wales (21-19), Samoa over England (15-14) and South Africa over Scotland (35-12).

The first two shooting golds of the day at Carnoustie on Scotland’s east coast both went to England.

Charlotte Kerwood took the women’s double trap ahead of Shreyasi Singh of India and Rachel Parish of England, while Steven Scott was first in the men’s double trap in front of countryman Matthew French and Asab Mohd of India.

Singapore stormed to victory in the women’s team table-tennis competition, while South Africa won gold in the women’s lawn bowls four defeating Malaysia in the final.

Published in Dawn, July 28th, 2014