England edged into third in medals table in final event
ENGLAND were dramatically pipped to second place in the Commonwealth Games medals table by hosts India after losing three badminton finals.
Nathan Robertson was beaten in two of the finals, the mixed doubles and men’s doubles, while England’s No1 Rajiv Ouseph also had to settle for silver in the men’s singles.
That allowed India to overtake England by claiming their 38th gold when Saina Nehwal won the women’s singles, the very last event in Delhi.
Malaysia played a key part in England’s undoing yesterday, beating them in all three of the badminton finals.
Koo Kien Keat proved Robertson’s nemesis, restricting him to a silver medal in both the men’s doubles and the mixed doubles.
Robertson (right) and Jenny Wallace lost to Koo and Chin Eei Hui, while Robertson and Anthony Clark went down to Koo and Tan Boong Heong.
Ouseph lost at the final hurdle to the defending champion Lee Chong Wei, also of Malaysia.
England’s netball team claimed bronze but the women’s hockey side were denied third place by New Zealand in a penalty shoot-out.
Archer Nicky Hunt, who won two golds in Delhi, carried the English flag in yesterday’s closing ceremony. In the final medals table Scotland came 10th, Northern Ireland 13th and Wales 15th.
Glasgow will stage the next Games in 2014.