Usain Bolt sprinkled his stardust on the Commonwealth Games stage yesterday as the fastest man in history arrived in Glasgow.
It will not be until next Friday that Glasgow 2014 crowds will see the Jamaican take to the track at Hampden Park, but the fact he will be racing came as a boost to the competition.
Bolt confirmed at a press conference that he would make his Games debut in the heats, in an attempt to ensure Jamaica reach the final and to build up his competitive juices.
The Games have been hit by the withdrawal of high-profile athletes including Mo Farah, and Bolt has yet to race this year after taking time to recover from a foot injury.
But he is relishing the week ahead of him, even though he is skipping the individual events, and said: “I will be running in the heats – I think I need the runs, really, because this is my first run of the season, so I really need to get it going.
“The injury is completely gone. Fitness-wise I have done a lot of training over this past month – I have been really pushing myself. I think I am in pretty good shape, but I’m not in running shape – that’s why I am running the heats, just to get a few runs in.
“I won’t be doing a lot of races this season – just four.
“So, for me, I am just taking my time, trying to get myself in running shape, but not push myself too much and then get injured again.”
Patricia Bezzoubenko, the 17-year-old Canadian rhythmic gymnast, bolstered her medals haul to six and her gold hold to five by triumphing in the individual hoop, ball and clubs disciplines yesterday.
She might have made it a perfect six but could only finish third in the ribbon final, won by Wales’s Francesca ‘Frankie’ Jones.
“Nobody’s perfect. We will work on it during training,” Bezzoubenko said.
Her achievements in Scotland went wildly beyond her expectations, as Bezzoubenko said:
“I was expecting a good performance but that’s it, no medals, I didn’t think about it.
“It just worked. It is amazing it is my first Commonwealth Games. I am so proud of my country.”
Games history
Veteran shooter Michael Gault made Games history when he won bronze for England in the 10-metre air pistol event.
The 60-year-old grandfather, competing in his sixth Commonwealth Games, equalled the record for Commonwealth medals in any sport by bagging an astonishing 18th podium place, matching the haul of retired Australian shooter Phillip Adams.
Gault could become the most decorated Games athlete in history with a 19th medal in the 50m event tomorrow.
Daniel Repacholi, of Australia, took gold ahead of Gault, and Georgios Achilleos, of Cyprus, triumphed in the skeet.
Meanwhile, England suffered last-minute netball despair as Jo Harten’s miss set up Australia to snatch a 49-48 win, with Caitlin Bassett landing the clinching shot 15 seconds from the end.