The Tribune

By BRENT STUBBS

Senior Sports Reporter

bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

GOLD Coast, Australia: Jamal 'Marly' Wilson, winning his first international medal as a senior athlete, clinched the silver in the men's high jump final – the Bahamas' first at the XXI Commonwealth Games.

On Wednesday night at the Carrara Stadium he posted a season's best leap of 2.30 metres or 7-feet, 65 1./2-inches to trail Australia's Brandon Static, who fed off the home crowd for a personal best of 2.32m (7-7 1/4) for the gold.

Despite suffering an injury during the competition, Canada's Django Lovett had fewer knockdowns than Donald Thomas, both at 2.27m (7-5 1/4), Thomas, the 2010 Commonwealth Games champion in New Delhi, India, had to settle for fourth place.

"It feel excellent. Thank God. I want to thank my family, thank everyone who supported me. 242, this one is for you," Wilson said. "I feel good. This is the first international medal that I got as a senior athlete and I want to just keep this moving forward and celebrate this one.

"Right now, I'm kind of lost for words, but thank God. I feel good about it."

No doubt disappointed that his opportunity to get on the podium slipped away from him missed all three attempts at 2.30m (7-6 1/2), Thomas declined to give any comments.