Kipsiro wins 5,000m as Bailey shines in sprint

New Delhi: Uganda's Moses Kipsiro held his nerve to claim the first athletics gold medal of the Commonweath Games on Wednesday as Jamaica's Oshane Bailey tried to run his way out of Usain Bolt's shadow.

Kipsiro won the men's 5000m, holding off a last lap charge from former Kenyan world champion Eliud Kipchoge.

Kipchoge, the fastest man over the distance this year, was perfectly placed in second at the bell and took the lead briefly with 300m to go.

But the Ugandan refused to give up and fought back as they came to the final bend neck and neck, ducking over the line in 13 minutes 31.25 seconds.

Another Kenyan, Mark Kiptoo, took the bronze.

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On a hot and humid night at Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, it was touch and go whether the athletics would go ahead at all after the track and in-field were damaged during Sunday's opening ceremony.

But 1,000 workers toiled throughout the night to ensure the competition went ahead, patching up the track and re-turfing parts of the grass.

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While the event went ahead, conditions were far from perfect with a thick haze of pollution enveloping the arena and moths and insects everywhere.

At least some fans turned up after empty seats blighted many other venues, although the stadium remained less than a quarter full.

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The conditions were never going to be suitable for quick times and the 13 minute barrier over 5000m was never under threat.

Kipsiro, who was an agonising fourth over this distance at the last Olympics, World Championships and African Championships, went through in the lead after the first lap.

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The runners were bunched until the half-way mark when Kiptoo upped the ante, taking Vincent Yator, Kipchoge, and Kipsiro with him as the top names took control.

Australia's Chris Birmingham and England's Chris Thompson stayed in touch but the African's were in charge with three laps to go.

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Kipchoge, who has run a world-best 12:51.21 this year, looked the strongest at the bell but it was Kipsiro's night.

The men's 100m heats got underway but without Jamaican world record holder Bolt and his long-time rival and defending champion Asafa Powell.

Noone managed to dip below the magical 10 seconds mark, with Bailey leading the way into Thursday's semi-finals in 10.12.

The 21-year-old has always been in the shadow of his illustrious countrymen and wants to use these Games to make a name for himself.

"Right now Bolt is the fastest but he's beatable," he said.

"A lot of people do not know me but that's why I am here to win gold and establish myself as a 100m sprinter."

Nigeria's Egwero Oghoghene was second quickest in 10.13.

In the women's 100m heats, Natasha Mayers of St Vincent and the Grenadines was the fastest into the semi-finals in 11.33, well off Debbie Ferguson's Commonwealth record time of 10.91.

The biggest cheer of the night was reserved for India's Manjeet Kaur who won her 400m heat in 52.75, but it was Botswana's Amantale Montsho who was fastest into Thursday's semi-finals in 51.56.

Also through were Carline Muir of Canada and Christine Amertil of the Bahamas.

Elsewhere, Wales' Carys Parry (63.53) and England's Zoe Derham (62.33) led the way into the women's hammer throw final, which is held on Thursday.

"The competition is one level below the world's standards so I believe I have a good chance to get a medal," said Derham.

The track and field program runs until the final day of the Games on October 14 but it has been undermined by the absence of a slew of top names, leaving a new breed to battle for honours.