Birmingham 2022 was brilliant all-round but here are some of the best bits

Since its inaugural event in Canada in 1930, the Commonwealth Games has not been short of epic contests. From Roger Bannister beating John Landy in the ‘Miracle Mile’ in Vancouver in 1954 to the 200m dead heat between Allan Wells and Mike McFarlane in Brisbane 1982 to the Augustine Choge and Craig Mottram 5000m duel in Melbourne in 2006, there have been lots of great competitions.

But what about Birmingham 2022? Here are some of the highlights.

Pride of Guernsey

The 30,000 crowd came to the Alexander Stadium on Saturday night of the Games to watch Keely Hodgkinson win 800m gold but the biggest smile of the night came courtesy of a humble 400m hurdler from Guernsey as he achieved his island’s first-ever Commonwealth athletics medal.

Chalmers’ finest moment here.

Keeping it in the family

After Liz McColgan won Commonwealth 10,000m golds in 1986 and 1990, her daughter Eilish captured the same title. She did it in style, too, with a stirring victory over Kenyan Irene Cheptai in a deafening Alexander Stadium.

McColgan’s golden moment here.

Olivia Breen’s gold for Wales

Sophie Hahn was the big favourite going into the women’s T37-38 100m but the Paralympic, world and European champion was defeated by Olivia Breen as the Welsh athlete, who is better known as a long jumper, stormed past to take gold.

Read how Olivia Breen did it here.

Trinidadian tornado

In one of the best performances of the Games, Jereem Richards stormed to victory over England’s Zharnel Hughes in the men’s 200m in 19.80 in chilly conditions. It beat Frankie Fredericks’ Games record from 1998 too and the Trinidad & Tobago sprinter later anchored his team to victory in the 4x400m.

All the news from the 200m here.

One-lap brilliance

With a phenomenal home straight surge, Muzala Samukonga stormed past Matt Hudson-Smith to ruin the Birmingham athlete’s dreams of winning the 400m on his home track. Only 19, the exhausted Zambian then fell over, vomited and was wheeled out of the arena. He quite literally left everything on the track.

How Samukonga streaked to victory here.

Filbert Bayi’s 1500m Games record falls

Olli Hoare became the first Australian since Herb Elliott to win the 1500m when he kicked past world champion Jake Wightman and Timothy Cheruiyot to take gold. The top six men all smashed Filbert Bayi’s iconic Games record from 1974 too.

Full report on the 1500m here.

Kiplimo at the double

Jacob Kiplimo won the 10,000m title in style and four days later the Ugandan captured the double with the 5000m win. He managed to run the last 100m of his 5000m in 12.6 too – faster than Olli Hoare in the 1500m!

Coverage of Kiplimo’s 5000m here.

English sprint relay joy

Jona Efoloko, Nethaneel Mitchell-Blake, Zharnel Hughes and Ojie Edoburun put in a crowd-pleasing performance to win the men’s 4x100m at the Games in emphatic style in a swift 38.35. The quartet milked the crowd too afterwards and who could blame them?

More here on the English 4x100m winners.

Moraa’s dubious strategy wins 800m

Mary Moraa’s ‘rope a dope’ tactics were probably not deliberate but they ended up being effective – and entertaining – as the Kenyan took gold ahead of home favourite Keely Hodgkinson in the women’s 800m.

Full story of Moraa’s victory here.

Harry wins the crowd

Harry Kendall finished sixth in the decathlon but enjoyed two of the best days of his life as the crowed cheered on his every move. The highlights were in the pole vault, when thousands stayed on to watch him clear 4.40m, and then the 1500m when he finished like a train to snatch second place on the line.

More here on Harry Kendall.