Commonwealth Games: England's Adam Gemili finishes second to Kemar Bailey-Cole in 100m final
Last Updated: 29/07/14 2:24pm
Adam Gemili's decision to run in only the 100 metres at the Commonwealth Games paid off as the Englishman picked up a silver medal at Hampden Park.
The former footballer managed a time of 10.10 seconds to finish behind Kemar Bailey-Cole, the Jamaican recovering from a sluggish start to win the race in a time of 10.00secs.
The reception I got was absolutely unbelievable and it’s something I’m never going to forget. It was not about the time – it was about the position and I’ve done it so I’m over the moon.
Adam Gemili
Gimili just pipped another Jamaican sprinter, Nickel Ashmeade, to take second, dropping to his knees on the track as the big screen confirmed he had dipped to cross the line 0.02 seconds ahead.
“This is my first senior medal and I’m speechless," he said. "There is so much preparation that goes into running just 10 seconds – it’s not as easy as people think.
“The reception I got was absolutely unbelievable and it’s something I’m never going to forget. It was not about the time – it was about the position and I’ve done it so I’m over the moon. The times will come and hopefully I will have a decent career in terms of the time I run.
“But medals are what counts and this is a stepping stone now for the European Championships in a couple of weeks, the World Championships and then eventually Rio."
Surprise absentee
Trinidad and Tobago's Richard Thompson, who had clocked 9.82 over the distance this year, was a surprise absentee from the final, while English duo Richard Kilty and Harry Aikines-Aryeetey also failed to qualify.
Kilty, the world indoor champion, clocked a time of 10.27 while team-mate Aikines-Aryeetey was fractionally faster, managing to run 10.25 to end up fourth in the first of three semi-finals.
In the women's final, Nigeria's Blessing Okagbare set a new Games record as she emphatically claimed the gold medal.
Okagbare - who could yet claim a hat-trick of medals in Scotland with both the 200m and long jump still to come - crossed the line first in a time of 10.85secs.
Jamaican duo Veronica Campbell-Brown and Kerron Stewart took silver and bronze in 11.03 and 11.07sec respectively.
Meanwhile, Scotland's Libby Clegg earned the hosts their first Hampden Park gold with victory in the T11/12 100 metres
