Chris Murray lay on the platform, a human shield of event staff forming around him as a sheet was raised to protect his privacy. The English weightlifter, 27, had just aborted his second attempt at clearing 174kg in the men’s 79kg final, dropping the weight and losing his balance before appearing to faint. The TNT Sports commentator assured viewers he was “absolutely fine” and just needed oxygen. Two minutes later, Murray was drinking water backstage. Remarkably, he returned to the platform five minutes after the incident and successfully lifted 177kg, momentarily taking the lead before eventually claiming bronze – a medal he described as “pain free, injury free”.
His heroics came on the same night Adam Ramsay-Peaty was forced to settle for another bronze, finishing third in the men’s 50 metres breaststroke final. The 31-year-old swimmer, watched by his pregnant wife Holly, kissed her after the race – a moment captured as he accepted his second bronze of the Games.
“Chris Murray fainted during weightlifting final then won bronze; Ramsay-Peaty also bronze.”
Australia are surging clear of every other nation early in the medal standings, with their dominance built across a slimmed-down 10-sport programme spread across four Glaswegian venues. The Games, staged in Glasgow after Australia’s Victoria state backed out three years ago, saw Team England take the first gold when Mark Swan won the men’s para powerlifting lightweight category, hauling 222kg – more than three times his body weight.
Scotland’s first athletics gold came from Ben Sandilands on the opening night of track and field at Scotstoun Stadium, though there was no joy for Megan Keith. Murray, who had hoped to defend his gold from Birmingham four years ago, was upbeat despite finishing behind Malaysia’s Erry Hidayat Muhammad (gold) and India’s Valluri Ajaya Babu (silver). “I’m walking away pain free, injury free and I’m just looking forward to the next block,” he said. His shoulder, grabbed in apparent discomfort after his final lift, will be one to watch.