Pakistan takes 7th place in Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games in Hockey

GOLD COAST, Queenslands (Australia), April 13 (APP)::Pakistan came from behind to defeat Canada 3-1 by taking 7th place in the positional
match of the hockey competition of the XXI Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games
at Hockey Club ground on Friday.
Canada went ahead in the first quarter through James
Kirkpatrick goal in open play. The North Americans kept the lead intact till
the end of the second quarter. Pakistan were the far better side in the second
half.
Arslan Qadir equalised before Mubashar Ali, who ended
Pakistan’s top scorer in the competition with four goals, put his team ahead
off a penalty corner. In the last quarter M.Irfan Jr completed the tally with
his third goal of the event.
For Pakistan Arslan Qadir, M.Irfan Jr, Mubashar Ali slammed
in on penalty corner while for Canada James Kirkpatrick scored an early goal on
the field attempt in the very outset of the match, thun Pakistan got 7th
position and Canada finished at no. 8th.
New Zealand and Australia book place for hockey final
Earlier, New Zealand booked a gold medal clash with
Australia after scoring a thrilling shootout victory over England in their semi-final.
Scores were locked at 0-0 at full-time, before the penalty heroics of Captain
Stacey Michelsen and back-up goalkeeper Grace O’Hanlon guided the Black Sticks
to victory.
The second semi-final between Australia and India was
also a low-scoring affair, with both sides struggling to break the deadlock. It
took a moment of brilliance from Australia’s Grace Stewart to give her side the
lead, as she pounced on an errant pass into the attacking circle to slam home
the game’s only goal.
India took its goalkeeper off the field with four minutes
remaining in the second half as it pushed for an equalizer. But the stoic
defence of the Hockeyroos was up to the task, holding strong after some
fantastic saves from seasoned goalkeeper Rachael Lynch.
Grace Stewart celebrates her goal for Australia against
India in the hockey semi-finals. In the day’s other games, Scotland produced
its finest performance of GC2018 to defeat Malaysia 6-2 and finish in seventh
place. Malaysia finished eighth.
And it took a shootout to separate Wales and Ghana, with
the Welsh women finishing on a winning note and securing ninth position.
Commonwealth Games debutant Ghana finished in 10th place.
In Men Freestyle 65kg quarter-final Abdul Wahab beat Adam
Vella Malta on points 12-2. He got more points in the first bout of 10 points
and 2 points in the second round. Reaching to the semi-final mean another
victory would earn him another medal for Pakistan.
In the Men’s 97kg freestyle Umair Ahmad of Pakistan lost
to Jordan Steem of Canada on 11-0 in the semi-finals. In the Men’s Freestyle
65kg semi-final Abdul Wahab beaten by Vincent De Marinis of Canada on points by
10-0 in the first round.
Kathryn Mitchell breaks javelin record to claim emotional
gold. Australian Kathryn Mitchell broke the Commonwealth Games and Australian
record on her first javelin throw and then promptly broke down when she realized
she had won the gold medal.
Her first throw of 68.92m was the longest throw in the
world for five years and the best of the night to claim the gold medal. The
35-year-old started her career at the 2006 Melbourne Commonwealth Games, but
this was her first medal. She finished 6th in Melbourne, 5th at the Delhi 2010
Games and fourth at Glasgow 2014.
Anish, a 15-year-old shooter from India fired into Games
history when he grabbed gold medal in the shooting of being the youngest ever
shooter of the Games. Anish shot into history when he spun his magic in the men’s
25m rapid fire pistol at the Belmont Shooting Centre.
The teenager, who is the world 25m standard pistol junior
champion and record holder, headed off local hope Sergei Evglevski before the
Australian could fire his last five shots. Anish, the top qualifier with 580
and 22 central bulls, started with two possible fives, racing to a three-point
margin. He stumbled with a three and a one before scoring another five to lead
by four points over Evglevski.
Birthday presents don’t get much better than a gold
medal, and Laetisha Scanlan made it a 28th birthday to remember when she won
the women’s trap title. As icing on the birthday cake, she also secured a
Commonwealth Games record of 38.
Gold medalist Laetisha Scanlan of Australia celebrates
after winning the women’s trap final
Birthday girl and Commonwealth Games champion. The
three-time gold medalist won her first Games medal on debut in the trap pairs
at the Delhi 2010 Commonwealth Games, before setting an Australian record
(74/75 targets) in 2012, a World Cup win in 2013 and gold on the 2014 World Cup
circuit and Glasgow Commonwealth Games. Australia with 65 gold medals, 49
silver medals and 51 bronze medals claimed 165, England with 30 gold, 34 silver
and 34 bronze medals, India at third with 17 gold, 11 silver and 41 bronze
medals while Canada with 13 gold medal, 37 silver medals and 24 bronze medals.
Pakistan is still on 31st position with three bronze medals so far.