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Caster Semenya unstoppable in 800m on night nine

Related Story: Glory for Semenya but IAAF could end her career later this year

Caster Semenya has completed a personal golden double, triumphing comfortably in the 800 metre women's final.

The South African coasted home in a Commonwealth record of 1:56.68 to add to her gold-medal-winning run in the women's 1500m.

There had been talk that Semenya might try to go for a fast time — given that possible changes to IAAF regulations on athlete's testosterone levels could all but rule her out of the sport — but once the pace slowed down in the second half of the opening lap, that was off the table.

Regardless, Semenya — who has not been beaten at the distance since 2015 — began to surge away after the bell, and no-one could get close to the two-time Olympic champion.

In her first Commonwealth Games, Semenya completed a dominant win, finishing 1.39 seconds clear of Kenyan Margaret Wambui, with Jamaica's Natoya Goule taking the bronze medal.

Kennedy wins pole vault bronze

Twenty-four hours after Kurtis Marschall wowed the spectators at Carrara Stadium with his win in the men's pole vault, fellow Australian Nina Kennedy made it onto the podium in what was a pulsating women's event.

Kennedy had made a successful first clearance of every height she attempted until the bar was raised to 4.65m, six centimetres shy of her personal best set earlier this year.

She was one of four competitors remaining in the final at this stage, but she was unable to clear the height and she finished with the bronze ahead of England's Holly Bradshaw on countback.

Canada's Alysha Newman was the gold medallist with a Games record of 4.75m, edging out New Zealand's Olympic bronze medallist Eliza McCartney, who was second with 4.70m.

Australians Liz Parnov (4.40m) and Lisa Campbell (4.00m) placed fourth and 11th respectively.

Mucci just misses out on heptathlon medal

Teenager Celeste Mucci came close to winning Australia's first medal in the heptathlon in 12 years, only to fall one place short of claiming the bronze at the conclusion of the exhausting two-day event.

Mucci, 18, was sitting in third place on the overall standings heading into the seventh and final event, the 800m, 109 points ahead of England's Niamh Emerson.

But Emerson produced a stunning performance to win the second heat of the 800m in 2:12.18, with Mucci coming home in a distant fifth place via a time of 2:29.73.

Emerson finished on 6,043 points to move ahead of Mucci, who scored 5,915 points, which was a personal best.

Katarina Johnson-Thompson (6,255) won gold for England and Canada's Nina Schultz (6,133) was the silver medallist. Mucci's Australian teammate Alysha Burnett finished ninth on 5,628.

Kenya's Conseslus Kipruto (C), Abraham Kibiwott and Amos Kirui celebrate after the men's 3,000m steeplechase.

Kenya claimed a clean sweep of the podium in a testing men's 3000m steeplechase, with the trio of Conseslus Kipruto, Abraham Kibiwott and Amos Kirui claiming gold, silver and bronze respectively.

Canada's Matthew Hughes looked to have earned bronze before Kirui stole in at the death, as compatriot Kipruto claimed a Commonwealth record in a time of 8:10.08.

Australia's James Nipperess finished ninth.

In the men's discus, Australia's Matty Denny, Mitchell Cooper and Benn Harradine finished outside the medals placings as Jamaica's Fedrick Dacres took out the title.

Denny, Cooper and Harradine finished fourth, fifth and sixth respectively.

No fourth gold for Dame Valerie

Valerie Adams was chasing a fourth consecutive gold medal in the women's shot put but she was upstaged by Jamaica's Danniel Thomas-Dodd in a thrilling final.

Adams, who won the first of her three Commonwealth titles at the 2006 Games in Melbourne, was tied with Thomas-Dodd on 18.70m after four rounds.

But Thomas-Dodd, second at the world indoor championships in Birmingham last month, produced a massive effort of 19.36m with her fifth attempt to move ahead of her New Zealand rival.

Adams could not respond in the sixth and final round and she had to settle for silver behind Thomas-Dodd.

Uganda's Joshua Kiprui Cheptegei took out the gruelling men's 10,000m final, ahead of Canada's Mohammed Ahmed and Rodgers Kwemoi of Kenya.

Australia's Stewart McSweyn finished 11th as compatriot Patrick Tiernan was disqualified.

Aussies set for big boxing medal haul

In boxing, Australia is certain of winning eight medals after an excellent run in the semi-finals on day nine.

Jason Whateley scored an unanimous decision over India's Naman Tanwar, and he will face New Zealand's David Nyika in the heavyweight (91kg) gold medal bout tomorrow.

Harry Garside qualified for the gold medal bout in the men's 60kg class with a split decision win over Wales' Michael McDonagh.

In the women's 60kg class, Anja Stridsman defeated New Zealand's Troy Garton to set up a gold medal bout against Nigeria's Yetunde Odunuga.

Skye Nicolson beat Canada's Sabrina Aubin-Boucher in a 4-1 decision by the judges in the women's 57kg class and Caitlin Parker won a unanimous decision over Nigeria's Millicent Agboegbulem in women's 75kg.

In the first bout of the day, Australia's Taylah Robertson lost her semi-final in the women's 51kg to England's Lisa Whiteside, while Clay Waterman lost to Wales boxer Sammy Lee in the men's 81kg class.

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