Kenyan boxer fails to start in flyweight match

Agencies and Mutwiri Mutuota

Commonwealth Games organizers have put their security advisers "on alert" following reports that a Pakistan-based terror group was planning an attack on the games leading up to the closing ceremonies.

Commonwealth Games Federation president Mike Fennell said he was unaware of any new or credible terror threat in the leadup to Thursday night’s closing ceremonies and the men’s and women’s marathon along city streets, but said the games’ security detail would investigate.

Police and the military seized improvised explosive devices (IEDs) last week in Jammu city, about 580 kilometers (360 miles) north of New Delhi. It came as a local English-language newspaper said the Lashkar e Taiba terror group might be planning an attack.

Heartbreaking end

In Nodia, David Millar gave Scotland its first ever cycling gold medal at the Commonwealth Games, winning the men’s 40km time trial race Wednesday to partly redeem himself from a doping ban earlier in his career.

Alex Dowsett of England took silver, finishing nearly 55 seconds behind at 48 minutes 13.48 seconds and the bronze went to Luke Durbridge of Australia.

Meanwhile, in a heartbreaking end to a brilliant run, Team Kenya officials were compelled to throw in the towel in the men’s 52kg flyweight final as boxer Benson Njangiru failed to recover from an injured wrist to contest for the gold medal.

Njangiru was due to face home boxer Surnajoy Mayengbam for the top medal at the Talkatora Indoor Stadium, but team doctors failed in their last ditch attempts to reduce the swelling on his arm in time for the bout.

It was left for the Indian to show up at the scheduled time (7:00pm here, 4:40pm Kenyan time), step to the middle of the ring and, when the Kenyan failed to show from his red corner, he was declared the victor by walkover.

"We tried all we could but in the end, decided against risking further injury," Dr Ogeto of Team Kenya told FeverPitch. Njangiru was at the complex when a late fitness test ruled him out.

At the medal presentation, he was holding back tears, wondering what could have been the matter with his left hand, visibly swollen.

"We tried all we could to bring down the swelling, but in the end, we had to throw in the towel," National Olympics Committee of Kenya official, Stephen Soi added.

"It’s disappointing for him to miss the chance to fight for gold but the silver medal is good enough," he said.

The flyweight boxer was seeking to be the first Kenyan boxer to deliver Commonwealth boxing gold since 1994 when Omar Ahmed Kasongo won the heavyweight crown.

Despite earlier reports that Njangiru would not contest, Team Kenya doctors worked round the clock to mend the injury sustained during his tense 5-4 semi-final victory over Botswana’s Oteng Oteng. The Commonwealth Games end today.