8 April 2018
World record throw takes Arnold to Commonwealth glory
Hollie Arnold knew nothing less than a world record would be enough to take Commonwealth Games gold – fortunately the Paralympic champion never doubted her abilities for a moment.
Sat in second place with one throw to go, the Welsh F46 javelin thrower had watched New Zealander Holly Robinson take top spot with her own world best, registering 43.32m from her first throw.
But Arnold – who had started with an effort of 37.71m – always knew she could pull something special out of the bag on the Gold Coast.
She duly obliged, upping two metres from her then-best fifth throw as the scoreboard showed 44.43m, enough to smash her previous personal best by more than a metre.
I gave it my all. I didn't want her to take my world record off me and I wanted to win the gold
Arnold revels in Kiwi battle
“I knew it was there, it just didn’t click on the first few throws but on that last throw, I just gave it everything,” she said.
“I knew I was capable of doing that throw and I just executed it. Everything went well on that last throw.
“Holly and I are both great competitors and we both bring out the best in each other which is amazing for our sport.
“It was a battle out there. I knew that I could beat her and throw something like that.”
Arnold took her place atop the podium
Kinghorn ready for long haul
Arnold’s field exploits followed on from the track achievements earlier in the day, Richard Chiassaro setting a Games record en route to the T54 1500m final.
Stopping the clock in 3:05.76, World Championship bronze medallist moved comfortably into the medal race, joined by English compatriots Nathan Maguire and Dillon Labrooy as well as Northern Ireland’s Jack Agnew.
The track also produced its first finals of the Games with Wales’ Rhys Jones and Amar Aichoun from England missing out on the podium in the T38 100m.
The first Monday of the Games saw action in the pool for the penultimate time for the para athletes, with Scottish teenager Toni Shaw battling her way to the SB9 100m breaststroke final, finishing seventh on her Commonwealth debut.
Tuesday will provide one of the busiest days of the Games yet for the para athletes, with Jacob Leach, Lewis White and Barry McClements competing in the S9 100m backstroke in the early hours.
Chiassaro, Maguire, Labrooy, Agnew will compete in their T54 1500m final but plenty of eyes will also be on Samantha Kinghorn as the sprint world champion takes on the longer distance on the Gold Coast, as does Nicole Emerson.
Chiassaro put in a Games-record display
Powerlifters spring into action
The para-powerlifting also gets its moment in the Commonwealth spotlight, with double Paralympic medallist Zoe Newson competing as is veteran Natalie Blake – her final hurrah before retirement.
Meanwhile basketball player turned lifter Louise Sugden also gets her shot at Commonwealth glory, joined by Wales’ Nerys Pearce in the women’s heavyweight final.
Ali Jawad, Glasgow bronze medallist, is also back on the mat having battled the severe symptoms of Crohn’s disease during 2017, with a repeat of the podium finish from four years ago on his mind.
Oliver Brown and Nathan Stephens join him in the men’s lightweight final, while Nathaniel Wilding, Sean Gaffney and Michael Yule go in the men’s heavyweight final.
And the para table tennis also gets underway, with Felicity Pickard competing in the women’s TT6-10 singles group stage and two-time Paralympian Kim Daybell, Joshua Stacey and Ross Wilson featuring in the men’s equivalent.
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