England toast double gold for Brownlee and Stimpson
OLYMPIC champion Alistair Brownlee added the Commonwealth title to his extensive list of accolades as England won double triathlon gold on the opening day of the Games.
World No2 Jodie Stimpson scooped the women’s title and the first gold of Glasgow 2014, and a trio of judo successes followed in the evening.
The elder Brownlee came home in one hour, 48 minutes and 50 seconds after breaking away on the final 10km leg to finish 11 seconds ahead of brother Jonathan in a Team England one-two.
By adding to his Olympic gold and world and European titles, Brownlee senior confirmed he had hit his season’s target by completing the full set of major international medals.
“The Commonwealths was the biggest thing for me this year, the major goal,” he said. “I knew I couldn’t win the world title so the Commonwealths was the big thing.
“For me to complete the set of titles is perfect, far more than I ever hoped for. I don’t know what I am going to do – I might as well retire.”
Stimpson stormed to victory, clocking 1:58:56 to finish ahead of Canada’s Kirsten Sweetland, with England’s Vicky Holland taking bronze, 15 seconds behind her team-mate.
The 25-year-old missed out on a place at the London 2012 Olympics due to a controversial Team GB selection policy and insists Commonwealth gold is a career highlight.
“This classes as No1, I think,” said Stimpson. “This gets to the top and it’s absolutely fantastic. I hope it proves the first of many.”
London’s Ashley McKenzie took gold in the men’s judo 60kg class before Colin Oates did likewise in the 66kg and Nekoda Davis followed suit in the women’s 57kg.
Sisters Kimberley and Louise Renicks notched Scotland’s first gold medals of the Games with thrilling judo victories in the 48kg and 52kg categories respectively.
Fellow Scot Hannah Miley earned the first gold medal in the pool after obliterating her own Commonwealth Games record in the 400m medley.
Scottish joy was expected in the 200m breaststroke but Olympic silver medallist Michael Jamieson again missed gold after being upstaged by countryman Ross Murdoch.