Davies' Commonwealth Double
Rose Davies Makes History: First Woman to Complete Commonwealth Games 5km-10km Double
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Key Points
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Megan Keith of Scotland finished third in the 5,000m, earning bronze behind Davies and Hull as the Australian duo pulled clear on the final stages.
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LaFond arrived at Glasgow's Commonwealth Games in 2014 as a teenager, marking the start of a long CWG journey that culminated in her first gold in the women's triple jump.
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LaFond celebrated the win with the remark: 'I've now won every colour of Commonwealth Games medal there is, and it feels amazing to be a trailblazer for Dominica.'
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Paralympic sprinter Zachary Shaw of England won the para-sport T12 100m in 10.89 seconds.
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Tara Neyland won gold in the C4-C5 4000m individual pursuit for Australia and smashed the world record in the process.
Australian distance runner Rose Davies made Commonwealth Games history on Friday, becoming the first woman ever to win both the 5,000m and 10,000m at a single Games. The 26-year-old edged teammate Jessica Hull in a tense final-lap showdown to claim gold in Glasgow, completing one of the most remarkable doubles in the event's history. Flashscore reported that Davies beat Hull in a sprint finish that came down to the wire.
Davies had already claimed the 10,000m gold earlier in the Games. Her second win sealed an all-Australian top two, with Scotland's Megan Keith taking bronze. 7News called it an epic double gold for the Australian.
Davies Outkicks Hull in All-Australian Finish
The 5,000m final turned into a two-woman race on the final lap. Davies and Hull pulled clear of the field and went head-to-head in a sprint to the line. Scotland's Megan Keith held on for bronze, but the gold was always going to go to one of the two Australians. The Guardian reported that Davies claimed her historic second Commonwealth Games gold medal with a finish that electrified the crowd.
No woman had ever won both the 5,000m and 10,000m at the same Commonwealth Games — until now. According to au.headtopics.com, Davies is just 26 years old, suggesting she could dominate distance running on the Commonwealth stage for years to come. Her double is being celebrated as a milestone for Australian athletics.
LaFond Completes a Decade-Long Commonwealth Journey
Thea LaFond of Dominica had one of the most emotional wins of the day. She first appeared at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow back in 2014 — as a teenager. A decade later, she returned to the same city and claimed triple jump gold. It was her first CWG gold medal after years of near-misses. sg.headtopics.com covered her win alongside Davies's historic double.
LaFond did not hold back after her win. "I've now won every colour of Commonwealth Games medal there is," she said, "and it feels amazing to be a trailblazer for Dominica." Her gold adds to a previous collection of silver and bronze, making her the first Dominican to sweep all three medal colours at the Games.
Australia Dominates Track Cycling, Sets World Record
Australia's big day did not stop with Davies. The women's team pursuit squad claimed gold in track cycling, while England took the men's team pursuit title. The split result kept both nations firmly in the medals table conversation. Australia's strength across both athletics and cycling made Friday one of its best days at the Games.
Para-cyclist Tara Neyland went even further — she smashed the world record while winning gold in the C4-C5 4,000m individual pursuit for Australia. In the para-sprint events, England's Zachary Shaw won the T12 100m in 10.89 seconds. The Bahamas' Devynne Charlton took the women's 100m hurdles, and Nigeria's Chukwuebuka Enekwechi claimed men's shot put gold, adding to a diverse medals haul across nations on a busy Friday in Glasgow.
What Davies's Double Means for Australian Distance Running
Before Davies, no woman had pulled off the 5,000m-10,000m double at any Commonwealth Games. The feat puts her name in the record books alongside the greatest distance runners in the event's history. It also signals a new era for Australian women in long-distance track events, a discipline the country has rarely dominated at this level.
Davies's achievement drew wide praise. The Guardian highlighted her win as a landmark moment for Australian sport. With the next Commonwealth Games on the horizon, all eyes will be on whether she can defend both titles — and whether any rival nation can find someone to stop her.
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