Clarke does it for Jamaica in Bolt absence

Islanders continue to dominate 100m and athlete relieved to clinch gold after long year even as world champion gives event a miss.

Lerone Clarke of Jamaica celebrates winning gold at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium.

NEW DELHI // Jamaica did not need their world champion Usain Bolt to remain in the team to claim the men’s 100 metres, with Lerone Clarke winning the sprint at the Commonwealth Games.

Clarke was near the front of the pack from the start at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, and crossed the line first in 10.12secs.

Mark Lewis-Francis of England was second in 10.20 and Aaron Armstrong of Trinidad and Tobago was third in 10.24.

"This means the world to me," Clarke said. "After a very long season and messing up at the world indoors I came out here because I wanted the championships and I've got it." Lewis-Francis had mixed emotions about taking the silver.
"I could have won that," he said. "My blocks slipped at the start. I'm gutted. I have had a Commonwealth Games curse."

But Lewis-Francis said he was delighted with a comeback season that has seen him take European and Commonwealth silver medals.

“There is a lot more there to come,” he said. “It’s amazing. I’m over the moon. I have had two years out with injury and I’ve come back with two silver medals.

“I don’t give up. It is about digging in and trying hard and this is the reward.”

Most of the biggest names in track and field withdrew from the competition for various reasons, including Bolt, Caster Semenya and Jessica Ennis.

In swimming, Rebecca Adlington, England's Olympic champion, won the 800m freestyle.
Adlington, who won the 400m and 800m freestyle gold medals at the 2008 Beijing Olympics, held off South Africa's Wendy Trott over the last two laps to win in 8mins 24.69secs.

“Coming here if I wanted to get a gold medal it was going to be in that event,” she said. “I just .., went for it from the start and at 400 saw I was a bit ahead and thought ‘I might as well stick at this pace, just keep it nice and smooth’.

“It wasn’t about the time at all there, this week has not been about times for anyone, it’s been about the racing. It’s been a long season so it’s nice to finish off with a gold medal.”

Alicia Coutts of Australia won her third individual gold of the games, adding the 100m butterfly title to her previous golds in the 200m individual medley and 100m freestyle.

South Africans Chad le Clos and Natalie du Toit won the 400 individual medley and the Paralympic 100m S9 event respectively, each giving them two golds for the games.

Brent Hayden gave Canada another gold medal with victory in the 100m freestyle in 47.98secs. Simon Burnett of England was second in 48.54, while Eamon Sullivan, the pre-race favourite and fastest qualifier of Australia, took the bronze in 48.69.

* Agencies