Bolt, Daley in spotlight, more gold for S Africa

GLASGOW, Aug 1 (AFP): Sprint legend Usain Bolt in the 4x100m relay and British teenage diving star Tom Daley make their eagerly anticipated Commonwealth Games entrances as South Africa enjoyed more lawn bowls success Friday.
Bolt, who raced neither the 100 nor 200m, won by Jamaican teammates Kemar Bailey-Cole and Rasheed Dwyer respectively, is due to take part in heats for the relay, with the final slated for Saturday.
The first of Friday's 20 golds went to Colleen Piketh and Traxy-Lee Botha, the South Africans edging England's Natalie Melmore and Jamie-Lea Winch in a nailbiting women's pairs final.
Northern Ireland beat Jersey for the bronze medal.
This was South Africa's fifth lawn bowls gold of the Games, with Piketh and Botha prevailing 20-17 after an extra end.
Shortly after, England claimed their 45th gold medal courtesy of Jack Laugher and Chris Mears beating Australia's Grant Nel and Matthew Mitcham in the men's synchronised 3m springboard.
"We're such close friends, to come out here and smash it today is amazing," said Mears.
On the track later, Olympic champion Sally Pearson goes for the 100m hurdles title as she bids to bury the controversy over the suspension of Australian team head coach Eric Hollingsworth for his outspoken criticism of her for missing a pre-Games team training camp.
Main rivals will likely include US-born Briton Tiffany Porter and Danielle Williams of Jamaica.
World champion Eunice Sum will be favourite in the women's 800m, but there's no room for Kenyan teammate Janeth Jepkosgei Busienei, the 2008 Olympic silver medallist and a three-time world medallist including gold in Osaka in 2007 failing to qualify.
Similar Kenyan dominance is likely to come in the men's 3000m steeplechase where double Olympic champion Ezekiel Kemboi Cheboi is chasing a second Commonwealth gold eight years on from his success at Melbourne 2006.