Richards awarded men’s 200 gold, McMaster makes history for British Virgin Islands with 400 hurdles victory

By Erik Boal, DyeStat Editor

One anticipated 200-meter showdown never materialized Thursday at the Commonwealth Games.

Another was overshadowed by a disqualification at Carrara Stadium in Gold Coast, Australia.

Shaunae Miller-Uibo of the Bahamas won the women’s 200 in a meet-record 22.09, the second-fastest time in the world this year. But it was Jamaican Shericka Jackson who captured silver, not Olympic sprint champion Elaine Thompson.

Jackson ran 22.18 and England’s Dina Asher-Smith secured bronze at 22.29, just ahead of Thompson in 22.30.

Thompson also placed fourth in the 60-meter final March 2 at the IAAF World Indoor Championships in Birmingham, United Kingdom.

British sprinter Zharnel Hughes appeared to have won the men’s 200 title in a great battle against Trinidad and Tobago’s Jereem Richards, with both athletes timed at 20.12.

But after taking a victory lap, Hughes was disqualified for infringement, resulting in Richards being awarded the gold medal, the first for Trinidad and Tobago in the Commonwealth Games 200. Hughes had lost his balance in the final 20 meters, resulting in his left arm making contact on Richards’ chin.

South African Clarence Munyai, who ran a world-leading 19.69 on March 16, finished fourth in 20.58.

Kyron McMaster captured the first Commonwealth Games gold medal for British Virgin Islands, winning the men’s 400 hurdles in a world-leading 48.25. It was redemption for McMaster, who was expected to contend for gold in August at the IAAF World Outdoor Championships in London, only to be disqualified for lane infringement.

McMaster dedicated the emotional victory to his late coach Xavier “Dag” Samuels, who was killed in September during Hurricane Irma.

Australia’s Dani Stevens set a meet record in the women’s discus with a fourth-round throw of 223-11 (68.26m) to repeat as champion and elevate to No. 2 in the world this year.

Another rising Australian talent, 20-year-old Kurtis Marschall, won the men’s pole vault with an 18-8.25 (5.70m) clearance. Canada’s Shawn Barber, a bronze medalist in Scotland in 2014, secured silver by clearing 18-6.50 (5.65m).

Canada’s Christabel Nettey, the world leader in the women’s long jump, improved from bronze four years ago to capture the gold medal on her first attempt with a 22-5.25 (6.84m) effort. England’s Shara Proctor, who led all qualifiers with a leap of 22-7.25 (6.89m), placed third in the final with an effort of 22-1.75 (6.75m), trailing Australian Brooke Stratton at 22-2.50 (6.77m).

Jamaica’s Janieve Russell, the world leader in the women’s 400 hurdles, also elevated from a bronze medal in 2014 to capture the title in 54.33, with Scotland’s Eilidh Doyle (54.80) securing a third career silver and South Africa’s Wenda Nel (54.96) rebounding from a disqualification in 2014 to earn bronze.

Sage Watson, who captured the NCAA Division 1 title last year for Arizona, placed fifth for Canada in 55.55.

Kenya’s Wycliffe Kinyamal won the men’s 800 in 1:45.11, with 2014 champion Nijel Amos of Botswana struggling to an eighth-place finish in 1:48.45.

British star Katarina Johnson-Thompson, who won the pentathlon title at the IAAF World Indoor Championships, leads the heptathlon following four events with 3,765 points.

Kansas State sophomore Nina Schultz, representing Canada, is second with 3,639 and 18-year-old Australian Celeste Mucci is third with 3,613. Schultz, 19, entered the competition as the collegiate leader at 6,018 points, with Mucci second in the World U20 rankings at 5,812.