Elaine Thompson-Herah‘s experience was evident as the Jamaican added 100 meters gold medal to her collection in a record time of 10.95 seconds in the commonwealth games.
The five-time Olympic gold medalist shot flawlessly and was ahead of England’s Daryll Neita.
Neita, who clocked a personal best of 10.90 in the semis, couldn’t catch up and finished with bronze.
Kenyan Ferdinand Omanyala won the men’s title ahead of defending South African champion Akani Simbine.
Omanyala, who didn’t switch from rugby to sprint until his late teens, came home in 10.02 seconds and added the Commonwealth crown to the African title he won in June. The 26-year-old’s hopes for a hat-trick this season were thwarted by a late visa, which saw him arrive just two and a half hours before her first qualifying round for the World Cup.
He was eliminated in the semifinals in Eugene after a disappointing 10.14.
On the contrary, he dominated the Commonwealth final, moving away from Simbine, who finished in 10.13.
Sri Lanka Yupun Abeykoon won Sri Lanka’s first Athletics Medal at the Games since 1998 by taking bronze in 10.14.
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The 27-year-old’s success comes amid political and civil unrest in the country that has spread to the Commonwealth team. Neita is delighted with the medal and regrets the missed opportunity
England’s Neita looked in worrying form in the semi-finals, but her new personal best was a better performance than in the final.
“My biggest emotion is that it’s good to get another medal on home soil, but I really didn’t put on the best race today,” she said. “It makes me want to go back to work.”
Neita reached her first major final at the Olympics last year, finishing eighth in 11.12 seconds after running 10.96 in the heats.
The 25-year-old, who won the British title ahead of Dina Asher-Smith earlier this year, has admitted peaking at the right time in a Championship campaign is now her priority. “I’m in fantastic shape but I have to improve in this final,” she said.
