USAIN Bolt’s training partner Kemar Bailey-Cole took advantage of the Olympic champion's absence to coolly grab 100 metres gold at the Commonwealth Games on Monday but Veronica Campbell Brown failed to seal a Jamaican double.
With the six-time Olympic champion and world record holder Bolt only competing in the 4x100 relay after an injury-hit season, the 22-year-old Bailey-Cole seized his chance and sped to victory in a time of 10 seconds flat at Hampden Park.
“I didn't feel any pressure, I just went out there and executed my own race, but it wasn't that perfect,” he told reporters.
“I train with Usain Bolt but the friendship is not that close.”
Bailey-Cole made a slow start on a blustery Glasgow evening but his long stride helped him claw his way back into the main group and he powered past England's Adam Gemili, who finished second in a time of 10.10 seconds. Jamaican Nickel Ashmeade claimed bronze.
“From the start it wasn't good but the rest of it was OK,” added the lanky Bailey-Cole, whose running style is not dissimilar to Bolt.
“The coaches out there just told me to go out and win and I did exactly that.
“I just listened to the coach, who says even if I don't get a good start just hold my composure and drive right through.
“The aim was to come out here and win and I did just that. I said to myself, ‘these guys can't beat me.”
Stephanie McPherson led an impressive Jamaican clean sweep of a high-quality women’s 400m, while there were also golds for Andrew Riley in the 110m hurdles and Kimberly Williams in the triple jump.
Not to be outdone, Joyce Chepkirui led a Kenyan 1-2-3 in a slow-paced 10,000m, while Faith Kibiegon claimed gold in the women’s 1500m as favoured teammate Hellen Onsando Obiri faded badly.
“I’m so, so happy it was Kenya for one, two and three,” said Joyce, who led home Florence Kiplagat and Emily Chebet in 32min 09.35sec after a powerful surge 50 metres from the line.
It was a similar story in the 400m, Stephanie, in 50.67sec, pulling out all the stops to squeeze past Novelene Williams- Mills (50.86), whose battle with cancer saw her have a double mastectomy, and Christine Day (51.09).
“We came out here and put on a good show!” beamed Novelene.
Riley clocked 13.32s in the hurdles, pushed all the way by English silver medallist William Sharman. Defending champion Andy Turner crashed out in the semi-final with hot favourite Hansle Parchment absent.
Kimberly’s victory in the triple jump was slightly more academic, a best of 14.21m enough to comfortably see off England’s Laura Samuel (14.09).
There was further glory for Jamaica when O'dayne Richards scooped gold in the men's shotput while Sultana Frizell of Canada hurled herself to glory in the women's hammer. Reuters