Commonwealth Games AS IT HAPPENED: Aussie cyclist ‘robbed’ of medal as DQ controversy hits; Kennedy beaten to pole vault gold

Day eight of the Glasgow Games has come to a close, leaving us with only two days to go.

Australia won another four gold medals on day eight to nudge its tally up to 55.

England and Canada are the next-best ranked with 17 each.

There is plenty to look forward to tomorrow – nothing more so than the men’s mile final featuring Aussie phenom Cameron Myers.

Scotsman Josh Kerr – the newly minted mile world record holder and a former 1500m world champion – is the gold medal favourite.

But don’t write off the magnificent Myers.

In the prestigious Bowerman Mile at the Prefontaine Classic in the US in early July, the Canberran ran a personal best of 3:46.06 to win the race and beat a raft of global stars.

Among the serious talent he defeated were reigning Olympic 1500m champion Cole Hocker, and Olympic silver medallists Yared Nuguse and Timothy Cheruiyot.

He races at 5.55am tomorrow (AEST), and you won’t want to miss it.

Falling pregnant and becoming a mother proved a circuit-breaker Brooke Buschkuehl desperately needed to overcome mental health struggles and reinvigorate her long jump career.

The triple Olympian also credits the work she’s done with both a sports psychologist and a sports psychiatrist to the resurgence her athletic career has enjoyed, which she hopes will extend to gold medal glory in Glasgow.

Buschkuehl’s 11-month-old son Bobby was in the stands at Scotstoun Stadium as the Australian long jump veteran secured her spot in the Commonwealth Games final.

On Sunday morning (AEST), the 33-year-old will charge down the runway in front of her beloved Bobby and husband Nathan with her sights set on turning two Commonwealth Games silver medals into gold.

Crucially, she is not only in top nick physically, but feeling good above the shoulders.

“I felt like I needed to take control over my life and do things on my terms,” Buschkuehl told nine.com.au.

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AusCycling has expressed its extreme disappointment after cyclists Felicity Wilson-Haffenden and Sophie Edwards were disqualified in the track cycling women’s individual pursuit at the Commonwealth Games.

Wilson-Haffenden’s disqualification came due to taping of her shoulder resulting in a “morphological change”, while the decision around Edwards was due to excessive padding in her helmet.

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Australia’s Torrie Lewis has finished sixth in the women’s 200m final in a race won by Adaejah Hodge of the British Virgin Islands.

Hodge took gold in 22.07 seconds, ahead of Trinidad and Tobago’s Shaniqua Bascombe (22.35) and Jamaica’s Alana Reid (22.56).

Lewis finished sixth in 22.88.

Coming up at 6.45am (AEST) in the women’s 200m final is Aussie sprint sensation Torrie Lewis.

The Queenslander snagged bronze in the 100m final and lowered her national record to 10.99 seconds.

Now, she’s ready for the event that’s actually her specialty.

Lewis is in lane seven for the 200m final.

The favourite, Adaejah Hodge of the British Virgin Islands, is on her inside in lane six.

By the way, we are on national record watch. Melinda Gainsford-Taylor has held the Australian women’s 200m record since way back in 1997. The mark is 22.23 seconds. Lewis’ personal best is 22.56.

Lachie Kennedy has finished sixth in the men’s 200m final in a race won by South Africa’s Sinesipho Dambile.

The South African dominated, taking the win in 19.96 seconds, ahead of Nigeria’s Udodi Chudi Onwuzurike (20.09) and Jamaica’s Christopher Taylor (20.11).

Kennedy, running in lane one, got off to his trademark blistering start, but faded to finish sixth in 20.41.

He has the men’s 4x100m relay to go.

Australia’s fastest man, Brisbane sprint powerhouse Lachie Kennedy, is about to line up in the men’s 200m final.

The ‘Brisbane Bullet’ claimed silver in the 100m final earlier in the week and clocked a head-spinning 9.85 seconds, shattering Patrick Johnson’s long-standing national record.

He is in lane one for the 200m final.

The 100m is his specialty but he may just surprise with a medal in the longer sprint.

Expect him to get out like a bull at a gate.

The favourite is South Africa’s Sinesipho Dambile, a 19.74-second man.

6.25am (AEST) is go time.

Australia’s pole vault queen, reigning Olympic gold medallist and former world champion Nina Kennedy, has been defeated.

Kennedy and New Zealand’s Eliza McCartney both topped out at 4.65 metres, with the Kiwi winning on countback.

Kennedy had one unsuccessful attempt at 4.65m, then logged three misses at 4.70m.

McCartney also registered three misses at 4.70m, but had passed 4.65m without a problem.

Kennedy picked up silver and New Zealand’s Imogen Ayris grabbed bronze.

An astonishing result.

Australia’s pole vault superstar will be back.

The 2027 world athletics championships, to be held in Beijing, and Los Angeles 2028 Olympics are on the horizon.

Let’s catch up with what’s happened at the track cycling ... which is plenty.

My colleague Lachlan Harper covered the controversial disqualifications of two Aussies, Felicity Wilson-Haffenden and Sophie Edwards, from the women’s 4000m individual pursuit.

Since then, the Aussie cyclists have reeled in three gold medals.

Georgia Baker clinched gold in the women’s 10km scratch race, becoming a five-time Commonwealth Games champion.

Then, Oliver Bleddyn struck gold in the men’s 4000m individual pursuit, edging Aussie teammate Conor Leahy in the gold medal match.

And, finally, Blake Agnoletto triumphed in the men’s elimination race final.

Phenomenal.

The Aussie track and field team is swimming in medals.

Now, Sarah Billings has snared bronze in the women’s 800m.

England’s Georgia Hunter Bell, the red-hot favourite, claimed gold in 1:59.51, ahead of Kenya’s Lilian Odira (2:00.58) and Billings (2:00.61).

Billings, 28, becomes the first Australian to medal in the women’s 800m at a Commonwealth Games since Sharon Stewart in 1990.

Billings is coached by Nic Bideau, who played a hand in Cathy Freeman’s triumph at the Sydney 2000 Olympics, and runs with Melbourne Track Club.

She is elated.