Walking their way to gold, Australia's athletes have followed the country's dominant swimmers and cyclists with a triumphant Commonwealth Games double, but it came after a heartbreaking disqualification for a teammate.
Dane Bird-Smith and Jemima Montag both won gold medals in their 20km road races on the opening day of the athletics program at the Gold Coast on Sunday, continuing Australia's command of Commonwealth walking events.
Shooter Dane Sampson also won gold for the host nation but Montag's victory came with heartbreak for Claire Tallent who was disqualified while leading the race with two kilometres to go on the beachside course at Currumbin.
"I was just saying, 'I'm so sorry, I'm so sorry' but Claire said, 'No, don't say that. Enjoy this moment. This is your moment,'" said Montag.
"I wanted to show the world that women who have babies can do anything. You don't have to stop doing what you love because you're having a baby." You've certainly shown us that, Claire Tallent. All class despite the heartbreak 💔 at #GC2018. pic.twitter.com/emKepjDeIj — 7CommGames (@7CommGames) April 8, 2018
Jemima Montag you 🌟 The 20-year old from Melbourne claims GOLD 🥇 in the women's 20km race walk. And what a beautiful moment, being congratulated by Claire Tallent.#GC2018 #ShareTheDream pic.twitter.com/RHhN052G6m — 7CommGames (@7CommGames) April 8, 2018
🦅 Fly, Dane Bird-Smith, fly 🦅 🇦🇺 @ozwalker92 claims GOLD 🥇 in the men's 20km race walk after a HUGE kick with metres to go. 🏴 🥈 Tom Bosworth 🇰🇪 🥉 Samuel Gathimba What a start to Sunday at #GC2018. #7CommGames pic.twitter.com/1WlHDGoQG2 — 7CommGames (@7CommGames) April 7, 2018
Tallent burst into tears straight after being pulled from the race but composed herself in time to embrace Montag as she crossed the line.
She was holding onto a narrow lead over Montag when handed a third red card, opening the way for the 20-year-old Victorian to claim gold in one hour 32 minutes and 50 seconds in only her third race over the distance.
Her's is the 13th Australian gold medal from the past 15 men's and women's walking events since the 1994 Games.
Bird-Smith followed his Rio Olympic bronze as he held off a mighty challenge from Englishman Tom Bosworth to take his first Commonwealth gold.
The pair had slugged it out shoulder to shoulder for much of the race, with Bird-Smith making the winning break in the final few hundred metres, willed on by a loud and parochial home crowd.
"That was a seriously exciting race," said Bird-Smith.
"I don't know if it's an unfair advantage but definitely having that crowd was a huge, huge plus for me."
Matt Denny won silver in the men's hammer throw with a personal-best 74.88m at Carrara Stadium, while England favourite Nick Miller won gold.
Sampson thought he blew his gold medal chances with his final shot in the 10m air rifle but his Bangladeshi opponent Abdullah Hel Baki couldn't produce the 10.0 shot he needed to capitalise.
The Queenslander prevailed with a score of 245.0 in a tense final at Brisbane's Belmont Shooting Complex, with Baki just behind on 244.7.
But Sampson had a distinct home ground advantage.
"I pretty much grew up here," Sampson told AAP.
"My mum was shooting here when she was pregnant with me, basically, literally on this range."
Elena Galiabovitch claimed bronze in the women's 10m air pistol.
Australia's trio of Barrie Lester, Nathan Rice and Aron Sherriff ended up with silver after losing a nail-biting men's triples lawn bowls final 19-14 to Scotland at the Broadbeach Bowls Club.
Comeback queen Cate Campbell set the fastest qualifying time of 54.05 in the 100m freestyle heats and goes for gold in the 50m butterfly final in the evening.
Olympic champion Kyle Chalmers is chasing his third gold of the Games when he races the 100m freestyle, while cyclist Stephanie Morton could also win her third in the keirin.
Australia goes into the evening sessions well clear on the medals table with 23 gold to England's 15.
