Australia Dominates Glasgow Commonwealth Games, Reflects on Success

As we wait for the closing ceremony, it's a good time to reflect back on 10 days of bloody excellent sport and all that it means I rekcon.

One that's stuck out to me has been distance runner Jessica Hull.

She was one of our bigger names and gold medal hopes leading into Glasgow. In the end, Hull will head home with two silver medals from the women's one mile and the women's 5,000m.

Hull is out of focus in both, the background character for two other amazing stories of success for Abbey Caldwell and Rose Davies.

But in both, Hull has the biggest grin in her face as she watches someone else cross the line first.

It's the perfect encapsulation of what folks mean when they call the Commonwealth Games the Friendly Games.

For this just waking up and joining us ... good morning!

The closing ceremony will begin at 6am AEST and run for about 90mins.

There's a distinctly Aussie flavour for this one, with none other than Delta Goodrem set to perform!

It'll actually be the third time Delta has appeard at the Commonwealth Games, after performing at the Melbourne Games in 2006 and the Gold Coast Games in 2018.

Four athletes won a total of six individual medals at these Games.

But of those, only one has all six in the same colour - GOLD.

That'd be Aussie swimmer Meg Harris!

Harris won gold in:

Women's 4x100m medley relay

Women's 50m freestyle

Mixed 4x100m medley relay

Women's 100m freestyle

Mixed 4x100m freestyle

Women's 4x100m freestyle relay

Well done Meg!

We're not sure if we've mentioned it … but Australia topped the medal tally at the Commonwealth Games.

Here's the list of Aussies who made it to the podium:

The athletes who didn't compete today might be feeling a little better. But triple gold medalist Leigh Hoffman says he's feeling "stuffed".

Fair enough!

Here's Hoffman talking to 7 Sport reflecting on his Games performance:

An emotional Petria Thomas has been reflecting on a wildly successful 10 days of competition for Australia in Glasgow, while also extolling the virtues of a sporting competition that has struggled for a pulse at various points over the past couple years.

Australia's Chef de Mission, who won nine Commonwealth golds across her decorated swimming career, says she absolutely loves the Friendly Games and that they remain of great importance to the development of Australia's athletes.

"It's always been an important comp for us and our sports know how important it is for athlete development and career progression," Thomas said.

"I think for that reason we really have prioritised Comm Games and that's really shown here...our athletes have had an absolute cracker of a Comm games and really done us proud."

And with a host already confirmed for 2030, she is cautiously optimistic about the future of Commonwealth sport.

"There was a time where we didn't know wherever there would ever be another Commonwealth Games so to be here in Glasgow and be a part of something that's been an absolutely fantastic comp is great," Thomas said.

"It's wonderful for the future of Commonwealth sport that there's a confirmed host for 2030 and I know India has aspiration to host the Olympics and Paras so they're gonna be out to prove they can host a great Games."

Now the last medals have been awarded, here's the final medal tally (top 10 nations):

The men's 40km points was not just the final event of the track and para track cycling program, but also the Glasgow Commonwealth Games!

We'll get to the overall medal tally in a moment, but at the velodrome Australia finished with the following:

🥇10

🥈10

🥉8

Wales was second (six gold, three silver and two bronze) and England (3/7/5) was third.

Australia's Oliver Bleddyn has collected silver in the men's 40km points race.

Bleddyn accumulated a total of 80 points, finishing behind Isle of Man's Matthew Bostock (83 points).

New Zealand's George Jackson (61) rounded out the podium.

Bleddyn's teammates Blake Agnoletto (34) and Conor Leahy (30) were ninth and 10th respectively.

Aussies Damien Delgado and Jimmy Reynolds were undefeated all tournament in the para men's pairs bowls.

They defeated New Zealand in straight sets earlier today to claim gold.

Delgado was asked by media in Glasgow if he was had any superstitions.

"Not really, apart from I always put my right shoe on first – although that’s because I don’t have a left leg."

Sorry Gemma, but talking about record scores just makes last night worse. Has the coach explained her thinking in last night's game?

- Phillip

That's the question on everyone's mind, Phillip!

How did the Diamonds achieve such a great (record-breaking) result in today's match against England, but fall short of victory in yesterday's game against Jamaica?

Well, one thing's for certain: nobody is blaming 24-year-old Commonwealth Games debutant Sophie Dwyer for missing that final shot.

Without explicitly commenting on her reasoning going into last night's semifinal, Diamonds head coach Stacey Marinkovich tells us: "As we said to Soph, it's one shot — it wasn't what won or lost us the game, and I think that's the part that is hard to take hold of".

"But she's a great shooter, unbelievable at the mid-range shot, and that [last shot] was a moment in time but we had opportunities all over the court and in every quarter," the coach says.

"She knows that the team are fully around her."

Marinkovich says it's been an emotional few days, with athletes and staff alike left hurting after day nine.

But the team now looks to the future, keen to identify opportunities to improve so they can recover their status as world champions.

"We've got a legacy of sustained success through the Diamonds that's been passed on for many generations, so our expectation is to win gold," the coach says.

"But the environment we're in is highly competitive, and we had a moment yesterday where [the outcome] could've gone either way."

"This will sit with the group for a while but, when the dust settles, we'll see where those gaps are and we'll improve."

Speaking to media after winning bronze, Kiera Austin (who played her 50th game for Australia today!) says "although it's not the colour we were probably after, I think we're really proud" to finish on the Glasgow podium.

Australia's Kayhan Ozcicek-Takagi has taken silver in the heavyweight division of the men's judo, going down to Cypriot Giannis Antoniou in the gold medal match.

After barely breaking a sweat in making his way to the final, Antoniou was forced to deploy some finesse against the Australian, winning by Waza-Ari decision after a tactical battle.

It's Cyprus's seventh judo medal at these Games but their first gold.

A very impressive campaign from Ozcicek-Takagi ends on the second step of the podium.

We're into our final gold medal match of the judo, with Australia's Kayhan Ozcicek-Takagi taking on Cypriot Giannis Antoniou.

Antoniou has been seriously impressive in Glasgow, winning both of his previous matches in less than two minutes.

A big task awaits Ozcicek-Takagi.

We are moments away from the final of the men's heavyweight division.

Tara Neyland takes gold in the women's C4-C5 1,000m time trial!

The Australian didn't just win gold: she did so in a world record time!

Neyland's real time was 1:09.667 (C4 world record), with her factored time being 1:08.761.

It was her second gold of the Games.

Her teammate Erin Normoyle (1:14.511/1:13.542) claimed bronze.

England's Kadeena Cox (1:10.864/1:09.943) was the silver medallist.

Australian cycling superstar Georgia Baker has just spoken to us, with her seventh Commonwealth Games medal around her neck and a new honour bestowed upon her as the closing ceremony flag-bearer.

Thomas really sprung it on her as she was celebrating the elimination race 1-2 with Alyssa Polites and says she was completely blindsided.

"I wasn't expecting it, I have to say. I think I was in race mode, not really thinking about that and when Petria came over and told me I would be the flag-bearer, I felt like I was in a bit of a dream.

"It was just a really emotional moment. I just reflected straight away of when I was young, watching these ceremonies on TV and seeing my idols carry out the flag. I'm just really proud and it's one of the biggest honours of my career."

And she has every right to stand alongside those idols, now boasting five Commonwealth Games gold medals to sit alongside Anna Meares.

Baker says it was a blur when Thomas told her and she couldn't really remember what she said, but we let her know Thomas's comments that it was not just about her remarkable performances on the bike, but who she is off it.

"I think that's the most important thing. I get so much joy and pride out of seeing the young ones perform, it gives me just as much joy as when I win the gold medal. But to be recognised not just for what I do on the bike but off the bike, that to me is the most important thing."

We're not far from a start in the women's keirin medal race.

There are two Aussies in the field of six: Kristina Clonan and Alessia McCaig.

Tears on the podium as Alyssia Polites, arm in arm with Georgia Baker, receives her women's elimination race gold medal.

Baker, who moments ago found she is to be the flag bearer at the closing ceremony, beams from ear to ear with her silver.

Australia has been entirely dominant in the velodrome at these Games.