Commentary legend Bruce McAvaney has expressed his disdain after two runners dove head-first for the finish-line in the 400m hurdles final at the Commonwealth Games on Friday night. It came just moments after Aussie teenager Isaac Beacroft scored a stunning gold medal in the 10,000m race walk for Australia’s 55th of the Glasgow Games.
The 19-year-old Beacroft was involved in a tense battle with Stephen Kihu of Kenya, but eventually broke his rival with a pair of strong moves on the final lap. Speaking afterwards, Beacroft revealed how Kihu had been taunting him throughout the race to try and overtake.
Isaac Beacroft (L) won gold in the 10,000m race walk, while Bruce McAvanay (R) was critical of chaotic scenes in the 400m hurdles (centre). Image: Getty/Channel 7
But the Aussie teenager stuck to his guns and stayed behind, before eventually pouncing on the final lap. “I knew he’d be there waiting for me to kick because he was taunting me the entire race, telling me to go around and lead it,” Beacroft said afterwards.
“I was just saying, ‘in your dreams, champ, this is not happening today’. I knew he’d come back around me and then as soon as he did I thought I’d really drop the hammer and see if I could break him, and I did.”
He later described it as a “friendly” rivalry – however it appeared more heated at times. “We were moving pretty quick at some stage and he was just telling me, ‘go around, go around’,” Beacroft recalled.
“I wasn’t going to go around. I wanted it to be slow. You saw the kick that I had at the end so I guess he backed himself at the end and so did I. If someone’s going to give it to you, I’m going to give it back.”
Beacroft’s gold was one of four the Aussies won on Friday night to take their overall tally to 55. The other three came in the cycling velodrome – Georgia Baker in the women’s scratch race, Oli Bleddyn in the individual pursuit and Blake Agnoletto in the elimination race.
Isaac Beacroft won gold in the 10,000m race walk at the Commonwealth Games. Image: Getty
Bruce McAvaney critical of finish-line act
There were dramatic scenes just moments after Beacroft’s win when Ezekiel Nathaniel won the 400m hurdles for Nigeria. Jamaica’s Assinie Wilson won bronze after he and Dennick Luke both dived towards the finish line.
Assinie Wilson and Dennick Luke both threw themselves towards the finish line. Image: Channel 7
The act is generally frowned upon in athletics as it has the potential to injure and opponent in close proximity. McAvaney said on Channel 7: “As we get towards the line here. Look at them. They both do a dive. I must say, I don’t like it.”