Gold Coast Diary: 2018 Commonwealth Games News

GOLD COAST (AUS): World 100m hurdles champion Sally Pearson and three-time Paralympic gold medallist Kurt Fearnley have been named co-captains of the Australian athletics team for the Commonwealth Games. Pearson will defend her 100m hurdles title in Gold Coast and will also contest the 4x100m. “It is always an honour to represent Australia but to be nominated as a team captain is a bonus and one I’m very pleased to accept. I’m looking forward to using my experience at major championships and three previous Commonwealth Games to lead and mentor our young Australian athletes,” said Pearson.

ATLANTA (USA): Olympic 400 m winner Shaunae Miller-Uibo is in full preparation for the Commonwealth Games. The multiple World medalist plans to run the 200 m in Australia. Miller-Uibo ran only one race indoors and equaled all-time best in the 300 m with 35.45 at the Millrose Games. The 23 years old sprinter was a 6th placer at last Games in 2014.

KAMPALA (UGA): Reigning Commonwealth 10,000m champion Moses Kipsiro has been dropped from Uganda’s team for the Commonwealth Games in Gold Coast, informs ESPN. “We decided that since we already had athletes with better times than Kipsiro in Marathon, we had to drop him. Since Kipsiro gave us a condition to be on the marathon team and not to defend his 10,000m gold medal, we decided to drop him and include Thomas Ayeko instead,” said UAF President Dominic Otuchet.

NAIROBI (KEN): Celliphine Chespol will seek his second senior title in as many months in next month’s Commonwealth Games in Gold Coast where she will contest the 3000m steeplechase, informs the Daily Nation. Still only 18, Chespol won the senior women’s title at the African Cross Country Championships in Chlef, Algeria on Saturday despite miscounting the laps.

KIGALI (RWA): Rwandan distance runner Salome Nyirarukundo is hoping to challenge the Kenyans over 10,000m at the Commonwealth Games in Gold Coast, informs New Times Rwanda. “It is an open secret that Ethiopia and Kenya are the world leaders in distance running but because Ethiopia is not part of the Commonwealth, it leaves Kenyans as overwhelming favourites. My dream is to see my country’s flag flying high for the first time at these games,” she said. Nyirarukundo lowered her national half marathon record to 68:36 in Barcelona last month and has been training at altitude in Eldoret ahead of the event.

KUALA LUMPUR (MAS): A payout of RM10,000 (approximately 2000 euros) will be awarded to Malaysian sportspeople who claim medals in the athletics programme at the Commonwealth Games in Gold Coast, informs the Malay Mail Online.

ST PETER PORT (GBR): British 400m hurdler Sam Wallbridge has pulled out of Guernsey’s team for the Commonwealth Games after fracturing his collarbone, informs BBC Sport. The standout name on the team is Cameron Chalmers, who finished fourth in the 400m at the European U23 Championships last year.

PRETORIA (RSA): World champion Luvo Manyonga has parted company with his coach Neil Cornelius, informs supersport.com. “Neil Cornelius, my coach for the past three years, has guided and mentored me to become world champion, Olympic silver medallist and Diamond League champion. I want to thank him for everything he has done for me,” Manyonga was quoted by Newton Agency. “However, after such great success, I have had to take stock of where I am and look to find new ways to push the boundaries of performance and continued improvement.” Manyonga is in preparation for Commonwealth Games.