Alex Marshall makes Commonwealth Games history for Scotland

• Alex Marshall leads his fours team to lawn bowls victory over hosts Australia
• The 51-year-old has claimed five gold medals to move ahead of Allan Wells
• Claire Johnston and Lesley Doig also won bronze in the women’s pairs 

Alex Marshall became the most successful athlete in Scotland’s Commonwealth Games history after leading his men’s fours team to a dramatic lawn bowls victory over hosts Australia on the Gold Coast.

Marshall and his team-mates Ronald Duncan, Derek Oliver and Paul Foster drew four shots on the final end to reverse a two-shot deficit and triumph 15-13, sealing his fifth career gold medal.

The 51-year-old Marshall, who also won a silver medal in the men’s pairs earlier in the Games, moves ahead of Allan Wells, who won four golds in a total of six Commonwealth Games medals between 1978 and 1982.

Earlier, there was more success for Scotland as Claire Johnston and Lesley Doig won bronze in the women’s pairs with an 18-10 win over Canada.

Meanwhile, England’s Katarina Johnson-Thompson claimed Commonwealth Games heptathlon gold.

The 25-year-old finished fourth in the 800 metres to wrap up the crown and add it to her World Indoor pentathlon title.

Favourite Johnson-Thompson was nowhere near her best but still comfortably finished 122 points ahead of Canada’s Nina Schultz. 

Johnson-Thompson told BBC Sport: ‘I’m so happy. It’s been a long emotional two days but i’m glad it’s finally over.

‘I was nursing an injury going into day two. I’m just happy I made it over the line, there was no way I was stopping.

‘Considering it’s only April, I’m really happy to get season best performances this early and come away for the gold.

‘I feel like this Championships was mine, I was devastated to pull out four years ago in Glasgow but I’ve got two gold medals now and it’s more than I could ask for this early in the season.’