{"id":255588,"date":"2026-07-31T23:08:03","date_gmt":"2026-07-31T23:08:03","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sports.runfyers.com\/index.php\/2026\/07\/31\/isaac-beacroft-walks-to-gold-on-mixed-day-for-australia-at-commonwealth-games\/"},"modified":"2026-07-31T23:08:03","modified_gmt":"2026-07-31T23:08:03","slug":"isaac-beacroft-walks-to-gold-on-mixed-day-for-australia-at-commonwealth-games","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sports.runfyers.com\/index.php\/2026\/07\/31\/isaac-beacroft-walks-to-gold-on-mixed-day-for-australia-at-commonwealth-games\/","title":{"rendered":"Isaac Beacroft walks to gold on mixed day for Australia at Commonwealth Games"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Teenage race walker Isaac Beacroft hit the accelerator on a dramatic final lap in the 10,000m then had to hit it again, celebrating Commonwealth Games<\/a> gold 20 metres before the finish despite his Kenyan rival Stephen Kihu lurking just a few steps behind.<\/p>\n

The result was the Australian highlight on a mixed day at Scotstoun Stadium in Glasgow, as Sarah Billings claimed her country\u2019s first 800m women\u2019s bronze in 36 years, even as track and field stars Nina Kennedy, Torrie Lewis and Lachie Kennedy were left disappointed.<\/p>\n

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Beacroft, the under-20 world record holder, stormed away from Kihu with 300m to go to secure gold. \u201cProbably the last 15 laps, I was just waiting for Kihu to go, but he never did, so I sat in, and eventually had to go,\u201d he told Channel Seven. \u201cI went hard, about 95%, and then I knew he was going to come with me, but then I had another gear in there to really make it over.\u201d<\/p>\n

He secured the breakthrough win, but not without fraying the nerves of his father and coach David. \u201cHe\u2019s having a panic,\u201d Beacroft told Channel Seven with a smile. \u201cHe thought I was going to get chased down, and started celebrating too early. Rubbish.\u201d<\/p>\n

Beacroft Sr, a former race walker himself, admitted he might have done things differently. \u201cI just saw the guy make another surge and I\u2019m like, \u2018Oh, don\u2019t do too much too soon\u2019, but he held him off. It was nice, it was good, really good.\u201d<\/p>\n

The 19-year-old, whose celebrations and interviews in Glasgow marked the birth of a new showman in Australian athletics, now heads to Oregon to compete at the world juniors in just nine days.<\/p>\n

<\/svg><\/span>Australia\u2019s 800m bronze medallist Sarah Billings.<\/span> Photograph: Dean Mouhtaropoulos\/Getty Images<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Billings\u2019 historic bronze was a mix of brain and braun, as she positioned herself well with a lap to go and pushed all the way up the final straight. The Australian finished behind English winner Georgia Hunter Bell<\/a> and Kenyan Lilian Odira, last year\u2019s world champion who Billings almost beat at the line.<\/p>\n

While that bronze medal provided unbridled joy for Billings, a silver in the pole vault for Nina Kennedy left the Paris Olympic champion with mixed emotions. \u201cIf you don\u2019t laugh, you\u2019ll cry,\u201d she said. \u201cSo I\u2019m trying to put on a happy face right now, but look, I\u2019m disappointed. I wanted the gold.\u201d<\/p>\n

In blustery conditions she cleared 4.65m but finished second on a count-back to Eliza McCartney, who won New Zealand\u2019s second track and field gold at these Games after Zoe Hobbs\u2019s 100m success.<\/p>\n

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