Yohan Blake misses out on gold as South Africa's Akani Simbine storms to victory in men's 100m final
Simbine placed first with a time of 10.03 seconds, followed by compatriot Henricho Bruintjies in 10.17secs. Blake, touted as the favourite for Monday’s race, was forced to settle for bronze
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Your support makes all the difference.It was a one-two victory for South Africa in the men’s 100m final, with Akani Simbine and Henricho Bruintjies clinching gold and silver respectively to deny Jamaica’s Yohan Blake at the Gold Coast’s Carrara Stadium.
Simbine placed first with a time of 10.03 seconds, followed by Bruintjies in 10.17secs. Blake, touted as the favourite for Monday’s race, was forced to settle for bronze after finishing in 10.19secs.
The Jamaican, a 2012 gold Olympian, started poorly out of the blocks and struggled for balance throughout the race but managed to see off Nigeria’s Seye Ogunlewe, who had looked on course to claim bronze.
"I was stumbling all the way," the 28-year-old said. "I just didn't recover from it. It was a pretty easy race for me to win because I've been feeling good.
"It was just, never (going) to happen today, I don't know. I'm a bit disappointed because I've been feeling good, I've been running good."
Despite his outsider status, Simbine insisted he was confident of taking gold.
"I came here wanting to be on the podium," he told the BBC. "I believed in myself, that I could get the gold medal.
"The 100m is an event of who's got the biggest ego and who can handle the ego the best.
"I didn't focus on what they were all talking about. I just focused on myself."
In the women’s 100m final, Michelle-Lee Ahye of Trinidad and Tobago claimed gold on her debut at the Commonwealth Games .
The 25-year-old stormed to victory in 11.14secs, finishing ahead of Jamaica’s Christania Williams (11.21secs) and Gayon Evans (11.22secs).
England’s Asha Philips fell short of a podium finish, placing in fourth with a time of 11.28 seconds.
The European 60m indoor champion struck a dejected figure after missing out on a first individual Commonwealth title.
“That’s shocking,” she said in the wake of Monday’s race. “On to the next one. I’ve just got to get over these hiccups.”
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