COMMONWEALTH GAMES 2002
Mulaudzi breaks Kenyan hold
Brad Morgan
30 July 2002
A delighted Mbulaeni Mulaudzi won South Africa's second gold medal of the Commonwealth Games, and its first on a Commonwealth Games track in 44 years, with a superb tactical victory in the 800 metres. Mulaudzi timed his finishing sprint perfectly to finish in 1:46:32 and push Kenya's Joseph Mutua into second place.
The South African star's victory means Kenya won't be able to repeat its feat of winning gold at every distance from 800 to 10 000 metres at Kuala Lumpur four years ago.
"This was the biggest win of my career", said Mulaudzi. "I came here with a plan to win a medal and I was always thinking about gold. I wouldn't have been happy with anything else."
Mulaudzi's win upped South Africa's medal tally in track and field events to three, following a gold medal winning performance from discus ace Frantz Kruger and a bronze medal for Veronica Abrahamse in the women's shot putt.
Morne Nagel clocked a fast 20.35 in the final of the
200 metres, but had to settle for sixth place. Veteran Namibian ace Frank Fredericks won gold in 20.05 seconds. Shaun Bownes, meanwhile, defeated highly rated Tony Jarrett in his 110 metres hurdles semi-final, but will have his work cut out to defeat Commonwealth record holder Colin Jackson, the winner of the other semi-final, in the final.
South Africa added another medal in the gymnastics when Athol Myhill was controversially awarded bronze in the rings. Coach Gheorghe Hristov and Myhill's fellow team members were disgusted when Scotland's Steve Frew, the last competitor on the apparatus, was awarded joint-gold with Heredotos Giorgallas of Cyprus. Hristov declared it the worst decision he had ever witnessed in 27 years of involvement in the sport.
Myhill was gracious afterwards, saying: "I don't want to complain. I'm just thrilled to have this medal to repeat my bronze in Kuala Lumpur. Perhaps him being close to home helped a bit."
There was further medal success
for South African shottists when Alan McDonald and Frikkie van Tonder won silver in the 25m rapid-fire pistol. Van Tonder then teamed up with his namesake, Francois, to take bronze in the 25m standard pistol pairs. McDonald previously won three medals - two silvers and a bronze - in Kuala Lumpur.
The women's hockey team defeated Scotland four-one as three goals in four minutes in the second half took Lindsay Carlisle's team clear of the their opponents. The Scots took an early lead through Rhona Simpson, but Johke Koornhof levelled matters seven minutes into the second period. Star striker Pietie Coetzee made it two-one a minute later and just two minutes after that she grabbed her second and South Africa’s third. Jennifer Wilson completed the scoring.
The victory secured second place in pool one for the South Africans. They next face the third-placed finishers from pool two for a place in the semi-finals of the competition.
The men's fours bowls team continued on
its winning way with a 16-7 win over Canada in the quarterfinals, while the women's pairs defeated Malaysia 16-11. Bobby Donnolly won 21-9 against his opponent from Brunei in the first of his singles matches.
South African boxers sustained their superb form in the ring as light-middleweight Khotso Motau stopped Nigeria's Azeez Olumegbon in the third round of their contest, and light-flyweight Phumzile Mathyila, a bronze medal winner four years ago, floored another Nigerian, Taireed Ajagbe, in the first round of their contest. The two victories mean that all six of South Africa's boxers have qualified for the third round of their competitions.
The news wasn't good on the netball court, although it was not unexpected. The world's top-ranked team, Australia, downed South Africa 74-38 to push the South Africans out of medal contention.
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