AIS athlete Sharleen Stratton has capped off her impressive Commonwealth Games with a gold medal in the women’s 3m springboard at the Dr S.P.M Aquatics Complex.

Stratton, who with the gold medal celebrated her first major individual diving title, recorded a career personal best to finish on a total of 376.

Stratton’s superb execution across the entire final was emphasised by her winning margin of more than 37 points over Canadian rival Jennifer Abel. The Canadian had pipped Stratton for gold on Tuesday by less than 3 points in the women’s 1m springboard but Stratton gained her revenge to take Australia’s gold medal tally to two in the diving.

The 23 year old’s breakthrough win ended a run of silver medals in both the Delhi and Melbourne Commonwealth Games and gives Stratton a springboard in the 2012 London Olympic Games.

Fellow Australian Jaele Patrick won the bronze medal to cap off a good event for the green and gold.

In what was described of the diving final of the Commonwealth Games Matthew Mitcham had to settle for the silver medal for the fourth occasion of these Games.

Mitcham went toe to toe with 16-year-old wonderkid from England, Tom Daley, and the two dazzled the crowd with a breathtaking display of diving that put them well ahead of the field.

Daley recorded the virtually unheard of perfect 10’s from the seven judges during the final, but despite this, Mitcham headed into the final dive of the evening still in touch with Daley.

Daley however prevailed on the final dive after Mitcham over overextended on entry, winning with a total of 538.35, while Mitcham recorded 509.15.
Australia finished the diving program with two gold medals, seven silver and six bronze and in second position behind Canada.