Summary The team showed real character in the shootout," England coach Danny Kerry
GLASGOW: (AP) - England increased its lead in the gold medal race at the Commonwealth Games when divers Jack Laugher and Chris Mears won the synchronized 3-meter springboard and two gymnasts won individual apparatus events.
At the Royal Commonwealth Pool at Edinburgh, about an hour s drive east of Glasgow, Laugher and Mears won England s 45th gold with nearly three days of competition remaining. It was Laugher s second gold of the games he won the individual 1-meter springboard on Wednesday.
Australia, which led the medal standings for most of the first week after dominating in the swimming pool, had 36 gold medals. It has won the gold-medal race at every Commonwealth Games since 1990.
England padded its lead later in the day when gymnast Claudia Fragapane won the women s floor her fourth gold of the games and Nile Wilson the men s horizontal bar.
Canadians won two of the five individual apparatus finals Scott Morgan gold in the men s vault and Elsabeth Black the beam. Daniel Purvis of Scotland won gold in the men s parallel bars.
In women s field hockey, defending champions Australia beat South Africa 7-1 to advance to Saturday s gold medal final against England, which beat New Zealand 3-1 in a penalty shootout after the score was tied 1-1 at the end of regulation.
"The team showed real character in the shootout," England coach Danny Kerry said. "Georgie Twigg asked to take the first one and I think it was really brave of her to do that, and set the tone for the others to follow."
Later, at Hampden Park, Usain Bolt was scheduled to run for Jamaica in the 4x100-meter relay heats. There was also anticipation about the crowd s reaction, after the world s fastest man reportedly made disparaging remarks about Glasgow and the games this week. If Jamaica qualifies for the final, Bolt would run again on Saturday on the final night of athletics.
