By JOHN VAN KLAVEREN
GEELONG athletes at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow have enjoyed mixed fortunes.
Netballers Tegan Caldwell and Madison Robinson are part of an undefeated Diamonds team, securing a semi-final as gold medal favourites.
Geelong judoka Jake Benstead, 19, won bronze in the 73kg class in impressive fashion after narrowly losing his semi-final.
Geelong boxer Kristy Harris made history as the first Australian woman boxer to compete at the Commonwealth Games.
She won her first fight, defeating Christine Ongare of Kenya in the women’s flyweight division.
Harris next fights Mandy Bujold of Canada in the quarter finals, hoping to reach the medal rounds this Friday and Saturday.
Little River’s Mark Anthony narrowly missed out on a medal in Glasgow competing in the 90kg judo division.
The 24-year-old made it through to the bronze medal bout but lost to Scotland’s Anthony Burns by two throws to one.
Corio’s Damien Birkinhead claimed fifth in the men’s shot put final, heaving 19.59m, two metres off the winner.
Husband-and-wife shooting duo Russell and Lauryn Mark ended their campaigns without medals. Lauryn qualified for the women’s skeet semi-finals but finished sixth while Russell came 10th in the double trap, missing out of the semi-final.
Ocean Grove lawn bowler Matthew Flapper was part of the men’s trios, losing a bronze medal match to Wales 13-16.
But Flapper is also part of the men’s fours team striving for golden glory in Glasgow after winning its two preliminary matches.
Jess Gulli runs her heats in the 4x400m relays on Saturday as the athletics program ramps up.
Wheelchair athlete Richard Colman opened his account on Tuesday night in the men’s 1500m T54 round-one heat, grabbing third place and automatically advancing to the final.
