Commonwealth Games 2026, Evening Session, Friday July 31: Gold for Hunter-Bell in a great 20 minutes for Team England
Team England added to the medal count in a hectic few minutes. Going into Friday evening. England had three gold medals, but by the end that had increased to four along with two surprise silvers. The gold was expected, but the silver medals were a complete surprise. And that’s the beauty of the Games. Over the years, plenty have taken their first steps to global glory at this, the Friendly Games.
Friday evening’s highlights
- Gold for Hunter Bell in the women’s 800 metres
- Record equalling third decathlon win for Lindon Victor
- 19.96 wins men’s 200 metres
- 89.75 wins a loaded men’s javelin
Women’s 800 Final
Back in 2014, the keenest statistician might recall Team England’s Georgia Hunter Bell (Trevor Painter, Belgrave Harriers) finished second in the England U20 Champs in Bedford in the 800 metres. There, she clocked a reasonable rather than sensationally fast 2:03.38 but since then what a journey she’s been on. American college, retirement, work and now as every athlete is only too aware, a global gold this winter in the World Indoor Champs.
And now she can add a Commonwealth Games title to her rapidly growing medal collection. She ran the perfect race, leading the field through 400 metres in 60.3. But as so often occurs when someone as dominant as Hunter Bell leads, no-one has the nerve to pass her. In fact, she was outside 31 seconds for the 200 metres from 400 to 600 before she hit the accelerator with 150 metres to run.
And that was that. She moved right away in the final 100 metres to win in 1:59.51 with a relatively sedate 59.1 last lap but a stunning 27.2 final 200 metres.
“This means so much. This is my first ever outdoor gold medal. I had a really good attitude today as it’s really strange being an athlete. You can really doubt yourself, but I told myself as long as I gave it my best, I’ll be happy,” said Hunter Bell.
As for the how the race unfolded, she said: “I wanted to get out and sit on the leader’s shoulder but once I was in the lead, I wanted to keep it slow. I was always in control. Gun to tape wasn’t the plan, but I’m very happy.”
Women's 400m Hurdles Final
Two more strides and Emily Newnham (Nick Dakin, Shaftesbury Barnet) would have turned silver into gold. She was fifth off hurdle eight, and then powered off the final hurdle to all but take the title such was her closing speed. She ran 54.04, just 0.04sec behind the winner, Sanique Walker of Jamaica. It really was that close!
“That was super, super fun. I really enjoyed it out there,” said Newnham. “I’ve been taking each race as it comes and I’m super happy to get a silver here, so we’ll see what happens for the rest of the season.
“I learned a lot being here with the seniors. Even learning about the weather and how to deal with it has been useful.”
Lina Nielsen (Jack Green, Shaftesbury Barnet) equalled her season’s best with 54.69 in fourth.
“I really gave it a good fight so that’s why is hurts to come fourth. It’s not been easy, but my coach Jack Green has brought me back to life this year.”
Men's 400m Hurdles Final
The favourite Ezekiel Nathaniel from Nigeria took this title as expected in 48.47 but behind him Jake Minshull (James Wright, Coventry Godiva) ran the race of his life to win a totally unexpected silver medal in 48.99. The future certainly looks good for this athlete who still has a couple of years in the U23 age group!
Seamus Derbyshire (Alex O’Gorman, City of Stoke) was fifth in 49.45.
“As I was in lane seven, my plan was to just pass the Jamaican in eight and not see anyone after that, so the plan went well really,” said Minshull explaining he did have to change his stride pattern because of the strong wind on the back straight.
“After that I wanted to push on the home straight which I did,” adding he owed it all to a copious use of Tiger Balm to keep him warm!
“My race wasn’t as good as Wednesday but I’m really happy how I adapted to the challenges I faced in the race. I just didn’t quite have it in my legs today,” said Derbyshire. “I’m just looking forward to the rest of the season, slash the rest of my career!”
Women's 200m Final
Adejah Hodge won a first-ever sprint medal for the British Virgin Islands. Her 22.07 gave her a comfortable victory but was actually a tad slower than her semi. Success Eduan (Anita Harrison, Sale Harriers) was seventh in 23.04. She finished strongly but didn’t enjoy the start she usually has.
Men’s Decathlon
Event leader, Lindon Victor from Grenada was, by his own admission, struggling. He’s barely trained all year and as his ropey looking 110 Hurdles earlier in the day demonstrated he’s certainly struggling for form. Yet his was the longest discus throw, he was just about the last man standing in the pole vault and after a foul in the javelin, he launched the spear out to 63.06 with his final throw to win that discipline. And to rub salt into the wound, that throw was far ahead of anyone else and nothing short of remarkable as he was kitted out in thick jogging bottoms and limping.
Lewis Church (David Hull, Tonbridge), in sixth and Sammy Ball (Rafer Joseph, Reading) in third both responded well with 56.21 and 44.88 respectively which meant just a few points separated on the live standings. Ball dropped back to fourth overall, while Church continued his climb upwards and was now in fifth just 58 points behind his teammate.
Going into the final event, the 1500 metres, Victor had a 148pt lead which is roughly 21 seconds. And Ball needed to make up a 109pt deficit – approximately 12 seconds – to get back into the bronze medal slot.
In the end, it was close for both of them, but Victor added a third title to his collection while Ball had to settle for fourth. Victor ran 4:51.78 to win by 60 points, while Ball 4:32.79 to come up 76 points short of what he needed. Church was fifth overall, clocking 4:30.58 for his 1500 metres.
“The decathlon was amazing,” Church said. “I really got into it as we went along. It wasn’t perfect but that’s all I had on the day. Gutted I didn’t get a medal but overwhelmingly that was a positive.”
And as for his teammate, Ball he had this: “Sam is an amazing young athlete. I feel like an elderly athlete in comparison. It’s nice to see him do well.”
Women's Pole Vault Final
Gemma Tutton (Richard Pilling, Lewes), a silver medallist at the 2022 England Champs cleared 4.10 with her first attempt but could go no higher. The competition was won by New Zealand’s Eliza McCartney who cleared 4.65 with her first jump.
“It was fun out there, but it was a shame I couldn’t put it together today,” said Tutton.
Women's Long Jump T38 Final
The very first jump of the competition resulted in what would have been a Games record had it not been for a +3.9m/s following wind. But it mattered not for the Welsh team captain, Olivia Breen, F38 (Aston Moore, City of Portsmouth). She jumped a fabulous 5.09 to set the bar high for her fellow competitors, a mark that would be tough to beat. Which nobody could!
Maddie Down, F38 (Mike Bennett, Halesowen), the bronze medallist in the 100 earlier in the week was very next on the runway but she fouled her attempt. Elizabeth Dodds, T38 (Shrewsbury) also fouled her first jump.
Down did finally get to grips with the windy conditions and produced a very good third round jump with 4.59 to move her to fourth. Dodds was back in eighth with 4.09. Down improved one more time to 4.65 but that meant she finished sixth while Dodds ended up with 4.09 in eighth.
Men's Javelin Throw Final
Team England’s Ben East (John Trower, Team Kennet) is a man in form. His very first throw was a lifetime best of 81.12. Obviously, it was very early days, but nevertheless it gave him an early lead in a loaded, Olympic champion laden field. India’s Neeraj Chopra, for instance, threw just 80.97 and at his best he can go beyond 90 metres.
It all kicked off in the second round as Rumash Pathirage from Sri Lanka produced a massive winning throw of 89.75 as East slipped back to fifth. Chopra improved to 85.83 but the bronze was still within reach for East. That didn’t happen on this occasion and he ended up eighth, but it was a fabulous competition, rightly billed as one of best of the Games given the strength in depth on display.
Home countries athletes making the headlines
Wales’ Isabelle Boffey (Luke Gunn, Enfield and Haringey) finished fifth in the women’s 800 metres in 2:01.44 less than a second shy of bronze.
Alistair Chalmers (Matt Elias, Guernsey) finished sixth in the 400 hurdles in 50.24.
And as reported above, Olivia Breen, F38 (Aston Moore, City of Portsmouth) of Wales won the F38 long jump with her very first jump.
Useful information
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