Glasgow: England added to its burgeoning gold-medal lead at the Commonwealth Games when divers Jack Laugher and Chris Mears won the synchronised three-metre springboard on Friday.
At the Royal Commonwealth Pool at Edinburgh, about an hour’s drive east of Glasgow, Laugher and Mears won England’s 45th gold with nearly three days of competition remaining. It was Laugher’s second gold of the games — he won the individual 1-meter springboard on Wednesday.
Australia, which led the medal standings for most of the first week after dominating in the swimming pool, had 36 golds. It has won the gold-medal race at every Commonwealth Games since 1990.
Later, at Hampden Park, Usain Bolt was scheduled to run for Jamaica in the 4x100-metre relay heats. There was also anticipation about the crowd’s reaction, after the world’s fastest man reportedly made disparaging remarks about Glasgow and the games this week. If Jamaica qualifies for the final, Bolt would run again on Saturday on the final night of athletics.
In other games news, the Commonwealth’s youngest female weightlifting champion faces being stripped of her gold medal after her backup doping sample confirmed banned substances. The 16-year-old Chika Amalaha of Nigeria tested positive for diuretics and masking agents after winning the 53-kilogram (117-pound) division a week ago. Her hearing was scheduled for late Friday.
Meanwhile, English boxer and 2004 Olympic silver medallist Amir Khan says protective headguards should be reinstated for amateur boxers. Last year, the International Boxing Association decided to do away with headguards for male amateurs, saying they contributed to concussions because boxers were allowed to continue after non-apparent head injuries.
“I would say headguards need to come back, especially when you’ve got fighters who are fighting nearly five times a week,” Khan said. “You might get cut in the first day ... a head clash, you might be the favourite to win the tournament.” The association said it will assess the new rule and number of head cuts and injuries after the games.
Meanwhile, James Willstrop, England’s losing men’s badminton singles finalist, kept alive his hopes of another medal after a closely-fought victory over New Zealanders Lance Beddoes and Paul Coll with partner Daryl Selby on Friday.
The English third seeds needed 68 minutes to win an exciting quarter-final 11-8, 6-11, 11-9 to make the last four as the doubles events progressed towards the final stages on Friday.
Doubles is unusual in that the Commonwealth Games is one of the few opportunities players get to compete in such matches and one that Willstrop finds difficult to assess.
“I don’t really know about our chances, I’m not thinking too far ahead,” he said.
“Those guys have proved they are a superb pair together and we just have to, cliched I know, take each session as it comes because it is all too intense.
“They could have beaten us today and that is going to be able to happen every game, we know that.
“I can’t really explain doubles, it’s like a leveller with different angles. There is a whole different environment but in badminton and tennis they have doubles specialists so it feels like a whole different sport to us.”
Beddoes and Coll, young players tipped for bright futures in the sport, ran Willstrop and Selby close and there were a few third game points that included lets given.
“Controversy happens a lot in doubles as people get in each other’s way,” said Beddoes. “When it gets close it happens a lot more so it is so tough to win any rally.
“I’ve played doubles since I was 10 and me and Paul get on well together. A lot of it is to do with team chemistry.
“Doubles is just a different game but some of the top players don’t like it.
“That’s about as close a doubles game as you can get.
“I’ll be back next time absolutely. I’m only 21 and Paul is only 22.
“There’s a lot of stuff even between the next four years but I’m sure me and Paul will be going for singles as well.”
Coll had to play in both the opening matches of the day as he quickly linked up with Amanda Landers-Murphy but the pair were well beaten by Australian top seeds Cameron Pilley and Kasey Brown 11-1, 11-8.
