Team Scotland increased its medal tally to 32 today, surpassing the Team’s pre-Games target of 29, thanks to the efforts of shooters Linda Pearson and David McMath, T35 100m sprinter Maria Lyle, and diver James Heatly.
McMath collected gold in the Men’s Double Trap, while Pearson picked up bronze in the equivalent women’s event. With a time of 15.14, Paralympic bronze medallist, Maria Lyle finished in second place for a silver medal, whilst diver James Heatly followed in his late grandfather’s footsteps to collect the bronze on the 1m Springboard.
For full details, please see the feature pieces on Shooting, Diving, and Athletics.
Badminton
Kirsty Gilmour made light work of her first game in the Women’s Singles, hammering her opponent 21-3, 21-4 in just 17 minutes. There was an equally impressive showing from Alex Dunn and Eleanor O’Donnell to win their Mixed Doubles second round against Sri Lanka in straight games.
Unfortunately, there was disappointment in the Men’s Singles for Kieran Merrilees who exited the competition after a narrow defeat in three games to Singapore’s Kean Yew Loh. Taking on the high-quality Asian, Merrilees was outplayed in the first game, but won the second 21-18 to set up a cagey decider; however he wasn’t quite able to get across the line, losing 21-18.
Also bowing out at the round of 32 were Julie MacPherson and Martin Campbell who, like Merrilees, were given an extremely tough draw against England’s Lauren Smith and Marcus Ellis.
Boxing
Scotland’s Boxers have guaranteed themselves at least two bronze medals after Reece McFadden and John Docherty progressed to the semi-finals at Oxenford Studios today.
Reece, a bronze medallist in Glasgow has guaranteed himself another Commonwealth Games medal with a unanimous points victory in the quarter finals against Pakistan fighter Syed Muhammad Asif. Reece looked sharp and landed some impressive blows to comfortably take the bout with a unanimous decision.
Afterwards he said: “I just love boxing. This is a big stage, and it’s so important to me. I got bronze in Glasgow and the reception was unbelievable. Even here it’s outstanding and it takes me back to there. I am desperate for that gold medal. I’m delighted with that performance and I’m going to keep progressing to take that gold medal home for Scotland.”
In a repeat of the 2015 Commonwealth Youth Games Middleweight Final, John Docherty once again faced Englishman Benjamin Whittaker. The result on the Gold Coast went the way of Docherty and he now proceeds to the semi-finals.
“I’m very happy to secure the bronze, but all that’s on my mind is the gold. That’s what I’ve come here for”, he said after the bout.
Up against home favourite Harry Garside, with a partisan crowd cheering for the Aussie; Lightweight Nathaniel Collins fought well throughout the quarter-final bout but came out on the wrong side of the judges’ decision.
The fighters return to the ring at Oxenford Studios on Friday 13 April, when Reece will face Norther Ireland boxer Brendan Irvine at 13:47hrs (04:47hrs UK time); and John fights Cameroon’s Dieudonne Wilfred Seyi Ntsengue at 20:47 (11:47hrs UK time).
Cycling
Team Scotland’s cyclists will turn their attention to the Mountain Bike trails at Nerang tomorrow as Grant Ferguson and Isla Short compete in the cross-country event.
Short, the 21-year- old from Peebles, will feature in her first Commonwealth Games at 10:31hrs (01:31hrs UK time) and comes into the contest fresh from triumphing in the 2018 UK National Cross Country Series curtain-raiser.
Grant Ferguson will join the action in the men’s event in the afternoon at 13:31hrs (04:31hrs UK time) as he bids to climb from his fifth-place finish at Glasgow 2014 to the podium on the Gold Coast.
Hockey
Team Scotland’s women will play their classification match against Malaysia tomorrow, where they will battle for a 7th place finish. The game gets underway at 15:45hrs (06:45hrs UK time).
The men’s classification games will be played on Friday 13 April, with the draw being completed at the conclusion of today’s matches.
Lawn Bowls
The team also continued the battle in the preliminary stages of the Women’s Pairs and Men’s Fours today, with the Women’s Pairs first beating Cook Islands 36-10, and then losing 11-8 to Malaysia, meaning they qualify for a quarter-final match tomorrow (Thursday 12 April) against Australia, taking place at 09:00hrs (00:00 UK time).
It’ll be a day of quarter-finals as Darren Burnett plays against Malaysia’s Muhammad Soufi Rusli who he beat on Tuesday in a close contest, 21-19.
The Men’s Fours beat England 12-8 today, meaning they remain at the top of their pool going into their quarter-final tomorrow (draw TBD). The game gets under way at 12:30hrs (03:00hrs UK time).
The Women’s Triples were drawn against Malaysia in their quarter-final this evening, ending the game on a 17-15 win, meaning they will progress to the semi-final against Canada tomorrow, also taking place at 09:00hrs (00:00 UK time).
Netball
The action on the Netball court continued today, as Team Scotland took on Uganda in the last of their Pool B matches. The African side took the lead in the first quarter with 14-11 and then clung on until the bitter end, with a score of 57-37.
Team Scotland will play their classification game tomorrow against Barbados at 11:00hrs (02:00hrs UK time).
Squash
Lisa Aitken and Alison Thomson faced the Cayman Islands in their first Women’s Doubles match of the day, winning 2-0. In the evening they faced English pair Laura Massaro and Singles silver medallist, Sarah-Jane Perry on the show court at Oxenford Studios for a place in the next round. It was a physical encounter and the Scottish duo played some spectacular shots to take the first game. The second and third games were a real battle, both going in favour of the English pair, who took the match 2-1.
In the Men’s Doubles, Alan Clyne and Greg Lobban continued their strong start with a 2-0 win over Guyana in 15 minutes. Lisa Aitken then returned to the court for her third match of the day alongside Kevin Moran in the Mixed Doubles against India’s Joshna Chinappa and Harinder Pal Sandhu. It was a close match, going 2-0 to India, but the Scottish duo had already done enough to progress to the Round of 16.
Tomorrow’s matches see Greg and Alan in the Round of 16 (opponents to be decided in the morning session); while Lisa and Kevin play English pair Jenny Duncalf and Adrian Waller at 13:10hrs (04:10hrs UK time).
Table Tennis
The Men’s Doubles competition got underway this morning with Gavin Rumgay and Craig Howieson getting the better of the Northern Irish duo Owen Cathcart and Zak Wilson 3-0.
Gavin and Craig returned to the tables in the Men’s Singles facing Buwaneka Jayasingha Muidyanselage of Sri Lanka and Ning Gao of Singapore respectively. Gavin’s experience showed as he took the match 4-0; but Craig, facing a strong player lost out 4-0.
After his match Gavin said: “I felt pretty sharp, and I surprised myself to be honest. The mindset was attack. I had a good 30 minutes in the practice hall, the best I have had, so I just took that onto the match table and did the same again. I wasn’t even thinking too much, other than just be aggressive and take the ball as early as possible. For 33 years old, I move my feet pretty well.”
Tomorrow at Oxenford the Doubles continues with a match against England duo David McBeath and Samuel Walker at 17:55hrs (08:55hrs UK time). Gavin is also in action in the Singles Round of 16 against another Englishman, Liam Pitchford at 13:55hrs (04:55hrs UK time).
The action continues tomorrow in Athletics, Diving, Badminton, Boxing, Lawn Bowls, Shooting, Squash, Table Tennis, Netball and Women’s Hockey. Getting their Gold Coast 2018 campaign underway is Wrestling, whilst the Mountain Bike event will take place on the cross-country trails at Nerang.