Radcliffe finally enjoys life on the track
Adrian Warner
Paula Radcliffe's brave front-running finally earned her gold rather than grief when the Englishwoman won her first track title in the 5,000 metres on a buzzing night of athletics at the Commonwealth Games on Sunday.
Radcliffe, whose failure to get on the podium at last year's world championships ended in tears and a trackside tiff with her coach and husband, set a fierce pace to threaten the world record as she clocked 14 minutes 31.42 to take the title.
After the host country failed to win the high-profile men's 100 metres on Saturday, Radcliffe's run sparked wild celebrations in the capacity 38,000 crowd, who have created the best atmosphere at a Games outside the Olympics for nearly a decade.
The London marathon winner, who has so often been photographed looking disappointed -- notably at the 2000 Sydney Olympics when she lost out on a medal after an astonishing front run -- beamed on the podium as the crowd sang "Land of Hope and Glory".
Athletics has not seen such enthusiastic and knowledgeable crowds at a major event since the 1993 world championships in the German city of Stuttgart which enjoyed several world records. The home athletes are revelling in it in Manchester.
At one point Radcliffe looked capable of recording the most spectacular run of her life as she threatened the world record of 14:28.09 set by Jiang Bo of China in Shanghai in 1997.
"Maybe if I had run a more even pace I might have got closer to the world record," she said. "But the time is irrelevant. I had to win this race. It was amazing just to run in this stadium."
England's world record holder Jonathan Edwards won the triple jump after a battle with compatriot Phillips Idowu to complete a quintet of major titles, adding to the two world golds and Olympic and European titles already in his possession.
Mick Jones completed a golden night for the hosts when he won the hammer with a throw of 72.55 metres.
FITNESS RACE
The consequences of Saturday's dramatic 100 final which ended with British favourites Dwain Chambers and Mark Lewis-Francis in agony dominated talk off the track.
Both sprinters face a race against time to be fit for the start of the European championships in nine days after pulling up with leg injuries in the second half of the final won by Kim Collins of the Caribbean islands of St Kitts and Nevis.
Chambers, who has beaten Olympic champion Maurice Greene twice this year, returned to London for treatment on a calf.
But teenager Lewis-Francis, who collapsed on the track after the race, had a more serious hamstring injury and is doubtful for the Munich event starting on August 6.
"If I'm ready for the Europeans I'm ready but if I'm not, I won't go. I'm still young and I've got a lot of Europeans in front of me," Lewis-Francis, 19, told reporters.
Saturday's final at the Games, which bring together 72 nations and territories from mostly former British colonies, was billed as a showdown between the two Englishmen but it was Collins who put St Kitts and Nevis on the sporting map.
Collins decided not to compete in the 200 which started with heats on Sunday and said he was wary of being centre stage.
"I didn't want to be the most impressive," Collins said. "When I came here the focus was on the British and I thought 'that's fine I don't want the focus on me'. I came here with a job to do and I did it. But I guess I can't hide now."
BIZARRE MOMENTS
The day witnessed two bizarre moments at the athletics which was the focus of attention ahead of the swimming events starting on Tuesday.
Tanzania's Francis Naali ran for two hours, 11 minutes and 58 seconds to win the men's marathon and then completed an extra lap of the track because he was not sure he had finished.
James Donaldson made a grand, late entrance into the stadium for tiny Norfolk Island despite finishing last in the race, more than an hour and quarter behind Naali.
One of the men's 200 heats was held up to allow Donaldson to finish his race an hour after the penultimate finisher.
Kerryn McCann led an Australian sweep of the medals in the women's marathon before Jane Saville and Nathan Deakes completed an Australian double in the walks.
Australia's Jana Pittman, dubbed "the next Cathy Freeman" won a drama-charged 400 hurdles final in 54.40.
The hosts did not have everything their own way, however.
Scotland's Chris Hoy upset the form book when he beat Olympic champion Jason Queally in the 1,000 metres cycling time trial.
Australia's Kerrie Meares also caused a surprise when she defeated Canada's world championship silver medallist Lori-Ann Muenzer to win the inaugural women's 500 metres time trial. Muenzer was third behind England's Jules Paulding.
