CWG: Nigerian gold winner fails dope test, first at Delhi (Afternoon Lead)

NEW DELHI - Nigerian women’s 100 metres gold winner has flunked dope test, the first dope case at the Delhi Commonwealth Games.

Osayemi Oludamola, who was awarded the gold after Australian Sally Pearson was disqualified for false start, is reported to have taken a banned substance and result of her B sample is awaited, Commonwealth Games Federation chief Mike Fennel told reporters Monday.

Athletics Federation of Nigeria president Solomon Ogba told Nigerian news site ‘Vanguard’ that Osayemi took medicine for a toothache which contained the banned substance. “She took medication for her toothache and we strongly suspect that it was that, which led to her failed drug test,” he said.

In the Games on Monday, Indian shooters Tejaswini Sawant and Meena Kumari missed the gold by one point in the women’s 50 metres rifle prone. They won a bronze.

Tejaswini, a world champion in 50 metres prone, shot 583 while Meena 585 as India finished with 1,168 points.

The gold went to Scotland’s Jen McIntosh (591) and Kay Copland (578) while English girls Michelle Smith (590) and Sharon Lee (579) got the silver in windy conditions at the Karni Singh Shooting Range.

Both England and Scotland were tied on 1169 points, but England won the gold on the basis of 60 perfect 10s while Scotland had 52 1perfect 10s.

The bronze took India’s overall medal count to 74, the highest the country has bagged in a Commonwealth Games.

India is also poised to cross its highest gold count of 30 earned at the 2002 Manchester Games. It now has 29 gold, nearly half of it coming from the shooters. Silver medal tally stands at 22.

Australia remained table topper with 61 gold, 39 silver and 37 bronze. England was breathing down on India with 26 gold, 46 silver and 33bronze.

Fifteen gold medals will be decided Monday, the eighth day of the competitions, in aquatics diving (2), athletics (3), lawn bowls (1), shooting (6) and weightlifting (3).

India will be featuring in all the disciplines Monday: Aquatics diving, athletics, badminton, boxing, hockey, lawn bowls, netball, rugby 7s, shooting, squash, table tennis and weightlifting.

In athletics, the focus will be on Tintu Lika, protege of ‘Payyoli Express’ P.T. Usha, the legendary sprint queen of India.

Seven Indian boxers Amandeep Singh, Dibagh Singh, Vijender Singh, Jai Bhagwan, Manoj Kumar, Suranjoy Singh and Paramjit Samota will be in action in semi-final matches Monday.