Commonwealth Games

Bolt strikes gold in Glasgow

ESPN staff

August 2, 2014

Usain Bolt stormed to the win in the final 100m © Getty Images

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The Commonwealth Games was always going to be about Usain Bolt, and the fastest man on the planet did not disappoint as he guided Jamaica to a gold medal in the men's 4x100m relay final.

The six-time Olympic champion put on the afterburners in the final 100m to secure a convincing victory for Jamaica along with Jason Livermore, Kemar Bailey-Cole and Nickel Ashmeade in a Games record of 37.58 seconds, finishing ahead of England's Danny Talbot on the final leg to claim his maiden medal at the Commonwealth Games.

England held a slight lead when Richard Kilty handed the baton to Talbot, but once Bolt collected the baton he disappeared down the home straight to add a 15th gold medal to his ever-growing collection.

Earlier, Jamaica set a new Games record of 41.83 seconds as Shelley-Ann Fraser-Pryce and her team-mates stormed to the gold medal in the women's 4x100m relay, with the English quartet of Asha Philip, Bianca Williams, Jodie Williams and Ashleigh Nelson winning bronze and finishing behind Nigeria.

Jo Pavey won silver at the 2006 Commonwealth Games in Melbourne © Getty Images

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England's Jo Pavey battled to a bronze medal in the women's 5,000m final.

The 40 year old, who gave birth to a second child only 10 months ago, led at the bell on the final lap but could not prevent Kenya's Mercy Cherono from winning gold. Janet Kisa of Kenya secured silver with Pavey passing Margaret Muriuki to take bronze.

"It feels a bit surreal, especially when I crossed the line," Pavey told the BBC. "I really didn't believe I had got a medal. I had to look at the scoreboard! I tried to think 'just don't regret this'. I kept focused and was determined to not let the Kenyan trio beat me.

"A big thanks to all my family, physios, sponsors - the list is endless. It is really special to think my little boy was here to see me do this. To be able to hug him at the end was a real a bonus. It is really special to think I am 40 with two children - one of them a 10-month old baby - I didn't think it would maybe result in this so I am so happy and grateful to everybody."

England's women won bronze in the 4x400m relay, with Christine Ohuruogu, Shana Cox, Kelly Massey and Anyika Onuora finishing behind winners Jamaica - who set a new Games record of three minutes and 23.82 seconds - and silver medallists Nigeria.

Matthew Hudson-Smith was required to dig deep for England in the men's 4x400m relay as he held off Trinidad and Tobago's Chris Brown to win gold.

Tom Daley retained his gold medal in the men's 10m platform diving, finishing with a score of 516.55 to keep hold of the title he won in Delhi four years ago.

Daley, who labelled the back 2.5 somersault, 2.5 twist routine as his "demon dive", performed the routine in the second dive of the final to maintain the lead throughout the night.

"It was a lot better than this morning, I got into it a little bit quicker," Daley said to the BBC. "The back twister was better, but still not as great as I wanted it to be. The front four and a half was not as good as it was this morning, but there are still lots of positives and I'm really happy to retain the title."

Malaysia's Ooi Tze Liang won silver with a score of 433.70, while Vincent Riendeau of Canada scored 429.25 to take bronze.