Two medals for Cardiff

Sunday 10 October 2010

On a great day for Welsh athletics in Delhi today, 10th October, Cardiff's Christian Malcolm (pictured) and Rhys Williams won bronze medals in the 200m and 400m hurdles respectively.

Swansea's Dai Greene produced an excellent run to take the gold in the 400m hurdles so that Wales took two medals in the same event. Has this ever happened before?

Gareth Warburton ran a fine 800m to take fourth place behind three unbeatable Kenyans.

The 400m hurdles was an excellent race with the slow starting Rhys making up ground fast in the final hundred metres for a clear third place in 49.19 secs. After the race, he paid tribute to training partner Dai Greene's fine season and can be proud of his own, adding to the silver medal he won in the European Championships.

Christian Malcolm, wearing number 1958 (the year that Cardiff staged the Empire Games), had won the silver medal in the 1998 Games and in this, probably his final Commonwealth Games after an outstanding career, was pipped for another silver by the fast finishing Jamaican Lansford Spence. Christian clocked 20.52, the fastest of his series in Delhi.

With two in the final of the 800m, it was always going to be tough for Gareth Warburton and Joe Thomas. Joe, who could be delighted that he had made it through a difficult season to the Commonwealth final, found the pace too much but Gareth ran a beautifully controlled race to take fourth place in 1:48.59.

Former member Brett Morse once again disappointed in a major event, finishing in sixth place and well down on his potential, but, as the youngest in the final, should look to the future where he still has great promise.

Wales has so far taken 4 athletic medals, ahead of its target.