Athletics continued their incredible medal rush, adding two Silver and a Bronze to their tally on day three of the Samoa 2015 Youth Games. Medals for Ben Greenwood and Carys McAulay in the 800m and a second medal of the Games for Alisha Rees means that every member of the athletics squad leave the Games with medals, an unprecedented feat.
Alisha Rees, already a medallist in the 100m, put in the performance of her life to take Silver in the 200m in a time of 23.61 behind Nigerian winner Idamadudu Praise Oghenefejiro. Going below 24 seconds for only the second time in her career she was visibly shocked by her time and delighted with a second medal.
“It’s incredible, it’s the best feeling ever,” she said. Coming across that line and hearing I’d come second, nothing can beat it. That time is insane! Unfortunately it’s slightly wind assisted but it’s good to go sub 24 by such a long way.”
Alisha was not the only athlete overwhelmed by her performance. In the 800m Ben Greenwood closed a seemingly insurmountable gap down the home straight to out dip Jamaican Leon Clarke for Bronze by seven hundredths of a second and claim a new Scottish U17 record. His time of 1.50.42 erases his own mark set back in May and his delight was obvious.
“I’m shocked,” he said. “At no point did I think I could get the Jamaican boy, I was fifth or something with 200m to go and I saw the Jamaican tiring. I picked it up and dipped him on the line but I didn’t think it was possible I’d got it. I didn’t expect to get a medal here but I was feeling the pressure a bit, thinking this morning that everyone in athletics has got medals so far. It’s a bit unbelievable to get a medal.”
There was Silver for Carys McAulay in the women’s 800m, leading into the final straight and just pipped for Gold by Australia’s Amy Harding-Delooze.
“The girl that won is a brilliant athlete,” said Carys. “I couldn’t have asked from any more from myself. Everybody in athletics got a medal so that’s pretty amazing, to get a Commonwealth medal you can’t get any better than that. I’ve enjoyed the experience so much.”
George Evans, Silver medallist in the discus, took sixth in the shot putt while Cameron Tindle was agonisingly close to a second sprint medal with 4th in the 200m.
Athletics finish the Games with seven medals; three Silver and four Bronze.
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