Commonwealth Games 2022 LIVE: Laura Muir storms to 1500m gold after England win women’s hockey title

Chaos!

England got to double figures - moving to five goals away from the magical margin of 14 - but then Canada finally took advantage of the empty net at the other end to make the score 10-2.

Canada have changed their goalkeeper twice in an attempt to run the clock down.

“I just went into the corner a bit too hot,” a disappointed Thomas reflected, as Lawrence Ostlere reports. “Only myself to blame. I went at it too hard after that, with the adrenaline. I did a recon ride but that was in traffic with no barriers so it was pretty pointless really. I was thinking it was a sweeping left and suddenly it was barriers and ‘oh s**t’. I almost avoided them but I didn’t, did I.

“It’s not just the actual time you’re on the floor and not moving. My brake was bent and the gear thing was off. Sometimes it’s bad luck but today I’ll take it on the chin and say it was my fault. It’s frustrating, but to still come away with a medal is satisfying. I had good support out there and even though we’re in England it felt like a home Games.”

England see two short corners saved inside the opening three minutes of the final quarter.

Still no score in the fourth - with now only 12 minutes to play.

That strike rate won’t be good enough to avoid Australia.

Eilish McColgan’s epic 10,000m Commonwealth triumph will be a career “turning point” for the experienced Scottish runner, according to Colin Jackson.

McColgan followed in her mum Liz’s decorated footsteps on Wednesday night by producing a rousing sprint finish to secure a memorable victory in Birmingham - the first major title of her career.

And former Welsh hurdler Jackson, who is also a two time Commonwealth champion as well as an Olympic silver medallist, insists McColgan’s dramatic victory can function as a watershed moment.

He said: “Steve Cram looked at me after the medal ceremony and said, ‘are you alright?’ I had this massive smile on my face because she epitomises what it’s all about. Yes, she had a chance to come here and win. Yes, she’s running so well, but she raced well yesterday as well and I think that’s truly a turning point in her career.

“Now she stands on her own two feet, in her own right as a successful Scottish athlete. She should be really proud of that. It was one of those really lovely moments. And it is an English Commonwealth Games, for sure, but it’s a home one for all the home nations because the support was literally identical.”

This is on! England grab a couple of late goals at the end of the third quarter and now lead 7-1 against 10-man Canada.

Suddenly, they only need eight goals with 15 minutes left to play.

They can’t, can they? England are still playing without a goalkeeper and are pushing hard as we begin the final quarter.

England now lead Canada 5-1 as we begin the second half - but this match has been a bit mad.

Canada are down to 10 players after Canada’s Balraj Panesar was shown a red card for grabbing the throat of England player Chris Griffiths.

It means England have gone all out in their attempt to win by 14 goals and avoid Australia in the semi-finals.

This includes taking out their goalkeeper and replacing them with an outfielder to press on with their player advantage.

A brilliant rule.

Adam Peaty is still “angry” when reflecting on how he fared at the Commonwealth Games and will use a rare defeat as his main source of motivation at the 2024 Olympics.

Ten weeks after breaking his foot in a freaking training accident, Peaty surprisingly finished fourth in the men’s 100 metres breaststroke final on Sunday, ending an eight-year unbeaten run in the event.

While Peaty won a redemptive gold in the 50m distance 48 hours later, he is still indignant when recalling his setback but accepts it may end up being beneficial in the long run.

“I’m not happy with losing,” said the triple Olympic champion and 50m and 100m breaststroke world record holder. “A defeat is a defeat. It doesn’t matter if I broke a foot, I still turned up.

“I get angry thinking about it. I will be thinking about it for the next two years, easily.

England are leading Canada 4-1 at half time in their final group game in the men’s hockey. After Wales were defeated by India, England’s spot in the semi-finals was already confirmed but they needed 14 goals to top the group and avoid the top-ranked Australia in the semi-finals.

Fred Wright, speaking to the BBC: “Coming into it I was thinking if I had good legs after the Tour I could do something good.

“The time trial is pretty simple, do your best and see what happens. I didn’t think I would be that close to guys like G [Geraint Thomas] and Rohan [Dennis].

“I think my problem is sometimes I don’t quite realise where I am until I’m there. Over time that will come and the confidence is sky high now. I’m looking forward to the road race on Sunday.”

Geraint Thomas, speaking to the BBC: “I went in too hot. I thought it was a sweeping left and went in with no brakes. I clipped the barrier and then lost the chain. My fault, but one of those things. To come away with a medal is OK I guess. It is what it is.

“The recon [before the race] was pretty pointless because the barriers were then up.”