Glasgow 2014: Superb silvers for Bath track and field stars Eilidh Child and Jazmin Sawyers at Commonwealth Games
University of Bath-based athletes Eilidh Child and Jazmin Sawyers collected a brace of silver medals on day eight of the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games tonight (Thursday).
Child was roared on to silver in the 400m hurdles final by a passionate Hampden Park crowd in an emotional night in the stadium.
The Scot, who is coached by Malcolm Arnold, came home in second in 55.02 seconds behind Jamaica’s Kaliese Spencer in 54.10.
“My first emotion was relief, it’s been a nervous couple of days,” said Child.
“I felt I left everything on the track I could give and I’m so delighted I came away with a medal. I’m over the moon.
I will cherish this
“I will cherish this silver medal because I’m happy with the way I performed. It wasn’t the fastest race I’ve run but there was a lot of expectation and I’ve coped with that,” she added.
“I always said I can’t control what other people can do, that’s the reality in sport.
“I tried to shut out the crowd a bit beforehand and concentrate on what I had to do. Afterwards it was amazing and the lap of honour was something very special.”
And moments later there was a second silver for Bath-based athletes, when 20-year-old Jazmin Sawyers won long ju
mp silver.
In third place going into her sixth and final jump, she produced a season’s best of 6.54m to take silver, just 2cm behind Nigeria’s Ese Brume.
The biggest thing I’ve ever done
“I just can’t believe I’ve come away with a medal,” said Sawyers.
“This is the biggest thing I’ve ever done.
“I was trying to keep my cool going into the last jump because I knew I already had a medal.”
University of Bath Sports Performance graduate Danny Talbot finished strongly in 200m final to come seventh in 20.45 seconds.
Earlier in the day Sports Performance graduate Sarah Connolly, a former judo player and now wrestler, reached the bronze medal match in the women’s under-63kg wrestling competition.
The Welsh wrestler faced Cameroon’s Blandine Metala Epanga in that contest, but went down 4-0.
The medals won by Child and Sawyers took the number of medals won by athletes with University of Bath links to date to 23, include five golds.
Photos:
Eilidh Child – Martin Rickett/PA Wire/Press Association Images
Jazmin Sawyers – Frank Augstein/AP/Press Association Images
