Gold medal the icing on the birthday cake for history-making sprinter

Gold-medallist sprinter Michelle-Lee Ahye has celebrated her 26^th birthday one day after making history on the track.

Last night Ahye became the first female track and field athlete to win a gold medal for her country Trinidad & Tobago at a Commonwealth Games.

As if a gold medal wasn’t enough, the sprinter was today presented with a cake by the Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games Corporation (GOLDOC) at a press event.

The confident voice of Aussie diver, singer and musician Matthew Mitcham led a tentative group of media and officials in a rendition of “Happy Birthday” as volunteers lit two candles on a small cake.

"It feels amazing. This is my first gold medal in an individual event, so it means a lot. It's still sinking in, I'm still shocked,” Ahye said.

"I'm really proud to be a role model for the younger athletes, especially the females. Some of them need guidance."

In 2014, Ahye said track was her way of supporting herself and her mother after a tough upbringing in which her father left before she was born.

“Track is my way out, my way to look after my mum, so I made a promise to myself a long time ago that I’d fight to do whatever it takes to look after her,” she told the Independent.

Today she said her mother Racquel was probably “still screaming”.

"Everybody's going crazy; my phone is still blurting out from last night.”

Ahye was the flag bearer for Trinidad & Tobago at the Opening Ceremony.

It was a night of surprises on the track with Akani Simbine beating favourite Yohan Blake in the men's 100m.

Simbine is the first South African to win 100m gold.

"The guys back home have been going crazy - my phone, social media, my parents still can't believe it, they're so excited. My mum is smiling - like 'next level' smiling," Simbine said.

"It's an amazing feeling, it's still sinking in, I haven't slept much.

"I thought it would've been a tighter race. I actually had a bit of a gap [on Blake]. I told myself I had to get out in front of Yohan. I knew if I could get to the 60m before him, I knew I would win."