Loughborough College athlete Sophie Hahn MBE achieved a remarkable clean sweep when she broke the Commonwealth Games record to win the T38 100m on the Gold Coast - on a day eight which saw College alumna Olivia Breen take bronze in the same race and former student Kyle Langford claim silver in the men’s 800m.
Sophie was able to add the Commonwealth title to the Paralympic, World and European titles she already holds after crossing the line in 12.46 at the Carrara Stadium, with Australian Rhiannon Clarke taking silver. “It’s absolutely amazing. I’ve always wanted to be Commonwealth champion and to do that here in Australia is great. I’ve not raced Rhiannon before, and I thought straight away, she’s pretty good so I need to be on my game.
"It’s quite early in the season for us so my training had to change a little and I had to introduce speed work earlier, so to run that time this early on, I can’t ask for more really,” said the Loughborough College Sport student. “This year is all about consistency, next year we’ll pick it up and look to peak for Tokyo.
“I think it’s fantastic that able and para athletes represent one team and I’m honoured to have my event here.”
Olivia’s bronze for Wales was her second medal of the Games after the former Loughborough College student took gold in the long jump T38, also setting a new Commonwealth record.
Taking the Loughborough College medal tally to 14 in the men’s 800m final was former Loughborough College student Kyle Langford who ran a PB for silver – becoming the first medalist from the home nations in this event since Matt Yates in 1990.
Kyle missed out on victory by a fraction in a dramatic race.
Reigning champion Nijel Amos of Botswana led the field through 400m before Kenyan Wycliffe Kinyamal surged with 250m to go to look the likely winner coming into the home straight. Then it was the turn of Kyle, in sixth place with 100m to go, to surge and almost catch Kinyamal, finishing only five hundredths of a second behind him in 1:45.16.
“They got out very, very hard, then it eased up a little. Amos started to die a bit and then we got to the back straight and the Kenyan’s started to surge and people started coming from everywhere.
Then, 200m to go I felt absolutely awesome. I got stuck in a little bit of traffic and then 120m to go I managed to get out, I had too much left and I felt I couldn’t get my legs moving quick enough. I started picking up but I just didn’t have quite enough to win this – it’s really gutting being so close.
“I knew I had it in me to win, it’s what I’ve been envisaging at every training session – to win gold. So to come short, it’s gutting but it’s one of those things as an athlete it makes you stronger. It’s not a loss, you either win or you learn and that’s what I’m going to take away from this.”
Alicia Barrett progressed in the Women’s 100m hurdles after finishing 4th in 13.19 in her heat. The former Loughborough College student said: “It wasn’t too bad. It was a bit messy but I tried to be aggressive from the gun. But I’m really pleased to run that time so early.
“I’m really proud to make the final and get a chance to represent England again; the experience has been a great one so far so I’ll go out in that final and enjoy it as I have no pressure on me.”
Fellow former student Niamh Emerson meanwhile sits in fourth position after day one of the Women’s Heptathlon: “I’m really happy. I’ve surprised myself, I always try and be relaxed and controlled and just try and get everything solid, but obviously this was a big test. I’ve never done anything like this before, so I was just intrigued to see how I handled it. I’m growing in confidence with every event – especially having Katarina Johnson Thompson there, she’s really nice and says little things that really help. Very excited for tomorrow.”
Less than five seconds into the entire event Katie Stainton, who also used to be a student with Loughborough College and was making her Commonwealth Games debut, fell heavily in the 110m hurdles. Niamh and Katarina walked back down the track after crossing the line to check on the 23 year old and console her. They held Stainton and put their arms around her shoulders as she rose to her feet, devastated to know her campaign was over so quickly.
Loughborough College para table tennis player Ross Wilson won his TT6-10 singles match, beating Nigeria’s Temitope Ogunsanya in straight sets 11-2, 11-3, 11-3. The sport student said afterwards: “I was okay today. He’s the fourth player in my group so I knew I could do okay and I was confident, knowing I went in with an advantage. Those games are about getting the win and coming through the group really.”
Chloe Birch, who won Badminton team bronze earlier in the week, followed two victories in the Women’s Singles with defeat in round of 16 against Scottish player Kirsty Gilmour today – but the Loughborough College graduate is already looking forward to the doubles: “She played well to be fair to her. It was tough coming on the back of the team event, it’s hard now because I’m disappointed that I lost but I think once I watch the games back I think it’s been quite a good performance over the past couple of weeks.
“I worked very hard to be on the best shape as I can here, so I can’t complain too much, and I still have the doubles tomorrow so I’m going to get back and get ready for that.
“I’ve played some really top players here and that’s been a very good experience for me, I take it all on board.”
England women are set to fight for Gold Coast Hockey bronze at the weekend after losing to New Zealand on penalties today. The squad, which includes alumna Suzy Petty, will face India.
In the Men’s Pole Vault final, former Loughborough College student Adam Hague finished fourth: “I’m quite disappointed. But I was happy with my jumping, it kind of came together. That one height I needed I just couldn’t manage. But it’s a great experience to be here. If you’d asked me before, I would have happily taken fourth, but it’s so close to medal. But after last year with injury, it’s just good to come back and jump again. I’m more happy than I thought.”
Nathan Douglas, from Oxford, qualified in a time of 16.27m and came 7th place in the men’s triple jump. He said: “In qualifying, you can’t win anything but you can lose everything. So I’m just pleased to be safely through to the final. I just wanted to do the bare minimum to get through so I can give it everything in that final.
“I’m looking at that final and thinking I’m going to have to jump 17m plus to win a medal. There are a few in the field capable of doing that, as am I, so we’ll see what happens.
In the men’s T12 100m, former Loughborough College student Zac Shaw finished third in his heat with a time of 11.58 and did not qualify for the final.“I didn’t execute my race well and that reflected upon my time. I don’t really know what went wrong, maybe I just wasn’t patient enough with my drive phase. I need to watch it back and analyse it.”
I’m proud to be competing at my first multi-sport Games. The experience has been beneficial and hopefully it will set me up well for Tokyo 2020. I’ve got plenty to work upon but I’ve learned a lot from it.”
Pictured: Loughborough College student Sophie Hahn on her way to a record-breaking Commonwealth Games gold in the T38 100m