England's Mark Lewis-Francis powered through to take silver in the men's 100m final at the Commonwealth Games.

The Walsall athlete had a slow start after his blocks slipped but produced a strong finish as Jamaica's Lerone Clarke won in 10.12 seconds.

European silver medallist Lewis-Francis clocked 10.20 with Aaron Armstrong of Trinidad and Tobago taking bronze.

Australia's Sally Pearson won the women's 100m but was disqualified after a protest over her false start.

The complaint, made by the England team, resulted in Katherine Endacott of Plymouth promoted from fourth to bronze position.

Nigeria's Osayemi Oludamola was declared the gold medal winner, while St Vincent and the Grenadines athlete Natasha Mayers took silver after the Australia team failed with their counter-appeal.

"I was told I was in the clear," said a tearful Pearson, who will compete in her favoured event, the 100m hurdles, in two days.

"I was set to walk out for the medal ceremony but then we were called us back and told there was a protest lodged.

"No-one told me what it was about and who it was against and that's probably most disappointing thing. I was told all sorts of different stories. I was never once told the truth or told what was going on. I don't think that was fair.

"This is our careers. To have run the race, do the victory lap and told everything's OK, then told you can't have the medal... I have to deal with it."

The controversial race began at the third attempt. First, Endacott indicated she was not happy because of noise in the stadium, so the first start was postponed and then fellow England sprinter Laura Turner was disqualified for false starting, suggesting that the noise from the stadium caused her to make the misjudgement.

Pearson, whose reaction time was also quicker than permitted but slower than Turner's, reacted as if she had made the false start.

But Pearson was allowed to compete while Turner, who was shown a red card, raced under protest and finished eighth.

Elsewhere, Wales' Carys Parry took silver and England's Zoe Derham bronze in the women's hammer, won by Canada's Sultana Frizell.

Frizell took gold with a throw of 68.57 metres, with Parry, of Rhondda Cynon Taf, clinching second with a season's best 64.93m and Derham, from Bristol, launching one out to 64.04m for third.

"I don't know if I can put it into words," said Parry. "I'm amazed. I knew if things went well we could both come away with a medal, but for it to actually happen...to finish off a long season with a medal is something else."

Lewis-Francis was elated with his silver but also disappointed that he didn't challenge more closely for gold after his blocks had slipped at the start.

I don't think I pushed them in properly - it's one of those things Mark Lewis-Francis

"This is an amazing season for me, I want to say one thing: I would've won that," the 28-year-old told BBC Sport.

"My blocks slipped, that's why it looks like I'm so far behind. I came up into the set position and I pushed backwards.

"I don't think I pushed them in properly - it's one of those things.

"That's one of the hardest races I've done this season. I'm over the moon but there's just that little bit of disappointment knowing what could have been."

Meanwhile, England's Katrina Hart won gold in the women's para 100m T37 final with a personal best of 14.36 secs, with Wales' Jenny McLoughlin finishing second in 14.68. And England's Daniel West took silver in the men's F32/34/52 sitting shot put.

England's Carl Myerscough finished fourth in the men's shot put final which was won by Dylan Armstrong of Canada with a Games record of 21.02m. England's Rider Scott was eighth and Ryan Jones of Wales finished 10th.

On the track, Scotland's Lee McConnell finished second in her semi-final to qualify for the women's 400m final and at the midway point in the decathlon England's Martin Brockman was in second place.

E-mail this to a friend

Printable version