Delhi’s Commonwealth Games suffered its first positive drugs test yesterday, leaving the women’s 100m with potentially a third different winner, as India ended a 52-year wait for track and field gold.
Nigeria’s 100m gold medallist Osayemi Oludamola, who only inherited the title after Australia’s Sally Pearson was controversially disqualified for a false start, tested positive for the banned stimulant methylhexanamine.
If the 24-year-old is stripped of her gold, Natasha Mayers of St Vincent and The Grenadines would be promoted to first.
“Any positive test, whether in a high-profile event or not, is something we very much regret because we all strive for a clean Games and a clean sport,” said Commonwealth Games Federation president Mike Fennell.
“We don’t know what sort of damage will accrue but we want to let everyone know that we are very vigilant and we are doing all we can to eliminate doping in sport.”
Oludamola requested her B sample be tested with results expected “within 48 hours”. Until that time, she will remain suspended.
Meanwhile, Pearson bounced back in style to add the 100m hurdles title to her 2008 Olympic silver medal, winning in a Games record time of 12.67sec.
“It has been a horrible week because of the disqualification,” said Pearson.
“After such a bad week and now to come out here and win is absolutely magical.”
India had high hopes of a first women’s track and field gold with Tintu Luka but despite a bright start to the 800m final, she was passed by Kenya’s Nancy Langat who claimed the 800-1500m double.
However, India remarkably pulled off a women’s discus cleansweep with Krishna Poonia taking gold with a throw of 61.51 metres ahead of Harwant Kaur and Seema Antil.
It was the country’s first athletics gold since Milkha Singh won the 440 yards in Cardiff in 1958.
“I dedicate this medal to all Indians. With this I think we wiped out everything bad that was happening before the Games and came out united,” said Poonia.
Cayman Islands’ Cydonie Mothersill won the women’s 200m to give her country a first Games gold while Australian world champion Steve Hooker claimed polevault gold.
Elsewhere on the track Kenya’s Richard Mateelong won the 3,000m steeplechase ahead of compatriots, world champion Ezekiel Cheboi and Olympic champion Brimin Kipruto.
But it didn’t all go Kenya’s way with Uganda’s Moses Kipsiro adding the 10,000m gold to the 5,000m title. Kipsiro crossed the line in 27:57.39 ahead of Kenyan duo Daniel Salel and Joseph Birech.
Canadian diver Alexandre Despatie won the 3m springboard title, his eighth Games gold medal.