Commonwealth Games: Lamara Distin claims shock gold medal in long jump Loop Jamaica

Black Immigrant Daily News

Jamaica’s Lamara Distin won a shock gold medal in the women’s high jump while her compatriot Kimberly Williamson took bronze at the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, England on Saturday.

Twenty-six-year-old Australian Eleanor Patterson was the red-hot favourite after winning the gold medal at the World Athletics Championships in Eugene, Oregon a fortnight ago.

The odds of Patterson claiming a second Commonwealth title were shortened even further when fellow Australian and Tokyo Olympics silver medallist Nicola Olyslagers withdrew on the eve of the final after tearing a calf muscle in the qualifying round.

However, Distin, who had finished ninth in the world championships final won by Patterson, put the field under pressure with a first-round clearance at 1.95m.

The Australian was unable to respond, missing three times at 1.95m – a mark which was seven centimetres less than her Australian record-equalling effort in Eugene.

With the gold medal already in her keeping, the 22-year-old Distin had three unsuccessful attempts at what would have been a Jamaican record of 1.98m.

Kimberly Williamson of Jamaica competes in the women’s high jump final (AP Photo/Alastair Grant).

Patterson had to settle for silver on countback from Williamson, at 1.92m.

The gold medal for Distin was the fourth for Jamaica. In addition, Jamaica won two silver and two bronze for a total of eight. The Caribbean nation is 11th on the medal table.

Australia have 55 golds and 148 medals in total, while England sit seven gold medals behind Australia (48 gold, 137 overall) with two competition days remaining.

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