Australian sprint star Torrie Lewis has been left disenchanted after her Commonwealth Games 200m final was won by a rival who completed a drugs ban this year.
Adaejah Hodge, of the British Virgin Islands, was originally given a two-year ban after testing positive for the banned substance GW501516 while winning the 2024 world under-20 championships in Peru - a suspension that eventually meant Lewis was promoted from silver to gold.
The 20-year-old Hodge would not even have been competing in Glasgow if a deal hadn't been struck in which she cooperated with the doping enquiry and had seven months lopped off her punishment, returning only in January.
But the US college-based sprinter was back in the final at the Scotstoun Stadium on Saturday morning (AEST) in completely dominant form, powering away to victory in 22.07 seconds, blitzing the field with Lewis trailing in a distant sixth place in 22.88.
Asked by AAP afterwards about her thoughts on Hodge's victory, Lewis responded:
"Yeah, I've been told not to say anything about that. I would love to say some words but I'm not allowed to."
When asked who told her she wasn't permitted to speak about the issue, the 21-year-old wouldn't say.
"I think everyone knows what I would like to say but, yeah, just fill in the blank yourself," Lewis added pointedly.
Hodge, who competed at the Paris Olympics, had tested positive for metabolites of a banned metabolic modulator in Lima, and was eventually stripped of both her 200m championship and her 100m silver.
The Athletics Integrity Unit and all parties agreed her ingestion of the substance was “unknowing” and “unintentional” and, as a consequence, her ban was reduced to 17 months.
Despite the anti-climactic end to her breakthrough week, Lewis was still highly delighted with her efforts in Glasgow on a cold, wet and windy meet, having smashed the national record and won bronze in the 100m clocking 10.99 seconds.
"If you would have told me at the start of this competition 'would I be happy with sixth?' I would have said 'absolutely'," said Lewis.
"I think the 100 just put my expectations even higher of myself. I just still need to remind myself that it was a big goal of mine to even make this final, so I'm still happy with that.
"It's really, really positive. Like this, for sure, was a stepping stone to me, and proves that I am a championship racer."
