Rotich, who took the Kenyan 1,500m record lst year to 3:31.06s was second to Guerroj at Oslo, Rome, Monaco, Zurich and finally in Moscow. This afternoon, there was simply no stopping him as he took over from about 600m from home after teammate John Kibowen set the early pace.

The English duo, Anthony Whiteman and John Mayock, tried to keep up with Rotich but simply faded away in the last 200 metres. For the Kenyan, who came closest to a medal with a fourth place in Atlanta Olympics, the CommonwealthGames gold capped a wonderful season. Mayock who beat Whiteman in the last 10 metres took the silver in 3:40.46 and Whiteman the bronze in 3:40.70 and Kibowen finished fourth.

Earlier in the afternoon, the Kenyans also grabbed the women's 1,500m through Jackline Maranga, who at 21, is a superb talent. Maranga cracked the Games record clocking 4:05.27 and outkicked Kelly Holmes on the last lap. Kenyan team running was once again on view -- as it has been in most of the distance events here -- as Naomi Mugo, who is the same age as Maranga set the pace. She took the field around for 800m in 2:17.85 and then Maranga took over and demolished the field. Mugo sacrificed herself and ended fourth as Holmes was second. Zimbabwe's Julia Sakara pipped Mugo for the bronze in the last 20 metres.

Steve Backley, twice Commonwealth javelin champion, hoping for a hat-trick was bested by world champion Marius Corbett of South Africa, who achieved a massive 88.75m on the second attempt. The 23-year-old South African's winalso removed Backley's name from the record books. Backley's record of 86.02m was set in 1990. His fifth throw of 87.38 metres fetched him a silver, while another Englishman, Michael Hill, took the bronze with a throw of 83.80 metres.

Adding to South Africa's successes in field events was Burger Lambrechts who won the men's shot put with a throw of 20.01 metres, ahead of Michalis Louca of Cyprus and Welshman Shaun Pickering. Lambrechts, who was 10th at the Athens world championships last year, thus won his first major title, and took the South African gold tally to four.

Earlier, South African Hestrie Storbeck won the women's high jump and Riaan Botha took the pole vault.

Australian women dominated the relays with twin success, while Jamaica grabbed the longer men's relay and England the men's sprint relay. Nova Peris-Kneebone, a surprise 200m winner, added another gold by being part of the 4 x 100m relay squad. Kneebone played a crucial role after a bad exchange between Tania Van Heer, the lead runnerand Lauren Hewitt, who ran the back straight. Sharon Cripps ran the anchor and Australia won easily.

Later in the 4 x 400m, Australia showed their depth in the event as they took the gold in 3:27.28 with anchorwoman Tania Van Heer earning her second gold medal. Susan Andrews started for Australia and then Tamsyn Lewis and Lee Naylor ran superbly to give Van Heer a huge lead. She had enough time to check herself on the video screen as she ran the final leg and came through to fall into the waiting arms of her teammates.

England's Ashia Hansen, fourth at 1996 Olympics and the world indoor record holder with 15.16m had just one legal jump, but it was enough for her win the gold. The 27-year-old's only jump measured 14.32 metres --her only legitimate jump of the day.

Results

MEN: 1500m:

1. Laban Rotich (Kenya) 3: 39.49s; 2. John Mayock (England) 3:40.46s; 3. Anthony Whiteman (England) 3:40.70s. 4X100M:

1. England (Jason Gardener, Marlon Devonish, Dwain Chambers, Darren Campbell) 38.20s;2. Canada (Bradley McCuaig, Glenroy Gilbert, O'Brian Gibbons, Trevino Betty) 38.46s; 3. Australia (Gavin Hunter, Darryl Wohlsen, Rodney Zuyderwyk, Matthew Shirvington) 38.69s. 4x400m:

1. Jamaica (Michael McDonald, Roxbert Martin, Gregory Haughton, Clarke Davian) 2: 59.03s; 2. England (Sean Baldock, Jared Deacon, Solomon Wariso, Paul Slythe) 3:00.82s; 3. Wales (Paul Gray, James Baulch, Mathew Elias, Iwan Thomas) 3:01.86s. 50 km walk:

1. G Saravanan (Malaysia) 4:10:05; 2. Duane Cousins (Australia) 4:10:30; 3. Dominic McGrath (Australia) 4:12:52. Javelin:

1. Marius Crbett (South Africa) 88.75m; 2. Steve Backley (England) 87.38m; 3. Michael Hill (England) 83.80m. Shot put:

1. Burger Lambrechts (South Africa 20.01m; 2. Michalis Louca (Cyprus) 19.52m; 3. Shaun Pickering (Wales) 19.33m.

WOMEN: 1500m:

1. Jackline Maranga (Kenya) 4: 05.27s; 2. Kelly Holmes (England) 4:06.10s; 3. Julia Sakara (Zimbabwe) 4:07.82. 100m hurdles:

1. Gillian Russell (Jamaica) 12.70s; 2. Sriyani KulawanshaFonseka (Sri Lanka) 12.95s; 3. Katie Anderson (Canada) 13.04s; 4x100m: 1. Australia (Tania Van Heer, Lauren Hewitt, Nova Peris-Kneebone, Sharon Cripps) 43.39s; 2. Jamaica (D.Brown, J.Campbell, G.Russell, B.Foster) 43.49; 3. England (Marcia Richardson, Donna Fraser, Simmone Jacobs, Joice Maduaka) 43.69s. 4x400m:

1. Australia (Susan Andrews, Tamsyn Lewis, Lee Naylor, Tania Van Heer) 3:27.28s; 2. England (Michelle Thomas, Michelle Pierre, Victoria Day, Donna Fraser) 3:29.28s; 3. Canada (K.Houghton, D.Cummins, L.Antoine, F.Williams) 3:29.97s. Triple jump:

1. Ashia Hansen (England) 14.32m; 2. Francoise Mbango (Cameroon) 13.95s; 3. Connie Henry (England) 13.94s.