ELTON TUCKER, Assistant Sport Editor
MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA
JAVELIN THROWER OLIVIA McKoy won Jamaica's first medal at the XVIII Commonwealth Games yesterday when she placed third in the final at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG).
The self-coached McKoy earned the bronze on her very last throw after falling from third to fifth with two rounds to go.
McKoy fell out of medal position following a poor 55.53m in round four and a foul on her fifth throw.
Australian Kimberley Mickle, cheered on by the massive 70,000 crowd in the MCG on a bright and sunny day, had moved into third with a 58.18 metres throw in the fourth round.
MOTIVATING CHEERS
"I told myself after dropping to fifth that I had to do something on my final throw because I wanted a medal today," McKoy said after her event. "With the crowd cheering the Australian on, that motivated me to go out and earn the bronze medal.
"I am really proud of my achievement here. To come to the Commonwealth Games and to walk away with a bronze medal in the first field event final makes me very happy," said the Above Rocks-based McKoy.
Her bronze medal throw was 58.27m. Sunette Violjoen, a little-known South African competitor, won the gold with a season-best 60.72m on her second attempt. Pre-event favourite, Laverne Eve of the Bahamas got silver with 60.54m.
OUTCLASED
Marathon runners Areita Martin and Andrew Gutzmore, both competing in their first Games, were outclassed in the event which was run through the streets of Melbourne on a cool Sunday morning, but showed some determination by completing the event.
Martin ran a lonely race for almost the entire course and was given a rousing applause when she became the 19th and last of the women's runners to finish the event. She crosssed the line at the MCG in 3:34.36, well after 38-year-old winner, Kerry McCann of Australia, had cried tears of joy, hugged members of her family and had taken a victory lap around the vast Stadium with her young son.
Andrew Gutzmore also completed the men's marathon to finish 13th of the 14 who completed the race. Tanzania's Nyoni Ramadhani won gold in a fast 2:11.29.
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