After a historic Day 10 where the Australian Diamonds produced the nation's 1000th gold medal at a Commonwealth Games, the final day of Birmingham 2022 saw more medal success for Australia, finishing the event at the top of the medal table with 67 gold, 57 silver, and 54 bronze medals - 178 in total.
Kookaburras in seventh (golden) heaven after bloodbath against India
Australia's men's hockey team capped off an undefeated run through the group stage and semi-final, to defeat India 7-0 in the final. The victory produced the Kookaburras' seventh Commonwealth Games gold medal in as many appearances, which includes Eddie Ockeden winning his fourth Commonwealth Games gold medal - equalling former teammate Mark Knowles. It was also India's equal-best placing at a Commonwealth Games, also winning silver in 2010 and 2014.
Australia dominated in the opening minutes of the match and were rewarded with the first goal of the game in the ninth minute through Blake Govers via a penalty corner. The lead grew to 2-0 five minutes later, and continued to run riot in the second quarter, leading 5-0 at half time.
The Kookaburras scored one goal in each of the third quarter and fourth quarter to secure the result, which was one goal shy of equalling a Commonwealth Games men's hockey gold medal game record eight-goal margin.
Nathan Ephraums and Jacob Anderson each scored two goals for the Kookaburras as they put up 23 shots to the Bharat Army's five as Johan Durst and Andrew Charter each had a turn in goal for the eventual victors during the match.
In the bronze medal match player prior, England beat South Africa 6-3, coming away with the victory with a 3-0 second half. Phillip Roper scored two goals for England as the team recorded it's equal-best placing at a Commonwealth Games, and third straight bronze medal.
Jee and Lay go down in straight games to finish with women's doubles silver
The combination of Minhyung Jee and Jian Fang Lay contributed towards Australia earning a silver medal in the women's table tennis doubles - the second medal for the nation in this category after Lay and Miao Miao won silver at the 2014 Commonwealth Games.
The Australia pair went down 3-0 to Singapore's Tianwei Feng and Jian Zeng, with Jee and Lay improving as the games went on, with the first game ending 11-1 that was complete in four minutes with Singapore going on a 10-0 run to win the game.
However, the Australians kept pace with their opponents across the following two games, though lost each 11-8. Both games saw Jee and Lay get out to a 2-0 lead to begin, before Feng and Zeng levelled, drew ahead, and remained in the lead to the end.
In the Women's Doubles bronze medal match before, Wales' Charlotte Carey and Anna Hursey won a tight battle against Singapore's Xin Ru Wong and Jingyi Zhou 3-1 (16-14, 14-12, 9-11, 12-10).
In other table tennis results, the Men's Singles bronze medal match went to seven games, ending in a victory to India's Sathiyan Gnanasekaren, 4-3 (11-9, 11-3, 11-5, 8-11, 9-11, 10-12, 11-9) over England's Paul Drinkhall. In that discipline's gold medal match, India's Sharath Achanta came from one game down to win gold against England's Liam Pitchford, 4-1 (11-13, 11-7, 11-2, 11-6, 11-8).
Australia dives deep to add more medals to overall tally
In the first diving event of the night, Shixin Li and Maddison Keeney competed in the Mixed Synchronised 3m Springboard event, coming away with a silver medal after receiving a total score of 304.02 - 1.98 points away from gold medallists, Scotland's James Heatly and Grace Reid.
The Australian pair lead at every stage through the first four rounds, which began with a inward dive (50.40), a reverse dive (49.80), back 2 1/2 somersaults (67.50), and forward 3 1/2 somersaults (68.82).
However, the final round, a forward 2 1/2 somersaults T twist maneuver saw Li and Keeney score 67.50, while Heatly and Reid made up two positions after their fifth dive - a forward 3 1/2 somersaults - for a score of 74.40, making up a gap of 4.92 points.
Fellow Australian duo Domonic Bedggood and Annabelle Smith finished the Mixed Synchronised 3m Springboard in fifth place with a score of 294.06.
In the other diving event on Day 11, Cassiel Rousseau and Emily Boyd won bronze in the Mixed Synchronised 10m Platform, finishing with a total of 309.60 as England took out the top two spots on the podium.
Rousseau and Boyd ranked third after the first round - a back dive that netted them a score of 49.20 -, before advancing one place into second spot off the back of a 52.20 for a reverse dive.
The pair dropped two places after their forward 3 1/2 somersaults - scoring 59.40 - but entered the top three again after an inward 3 1/2 somersaults - scoring 77.76 -, securing third place with a score of 71.04 from a back 2 1/2 somersaults 1 1/2 twists maneuver.
Fellow Australian duo Domonic Bedggood and Melissa Wu finished the Mixed Synchronised 10m Platform in sixth place with a score of 295.20.
Haydon and Turnbull squash opponents in women's doubles Plate Final
Alex Haydon and Jess Turnbull have won their women's squash doubles matchup in the Plate Final, overcoming Pakistan's Faiza Zafar and Amna Fayyaz 2-0 (11-7, 11-3).
It followed on from 2-0 victories over Guyana and Botswana on the way to the Plate Final, after losing 2-0 to England in the Round of 16.
In the Plate Final, the Australian pair got through each game in seven minutes as they never gave up a lead, continuing to pile on the points.
The remainder of the day's badminton results saw Malaysia's Rachel Arnold and Aifa Azman win Women's Doubles bronze over fellow countrywomen Yiwen Chan and Ainaa Ampandi 2-0 (11-3, 11-9). In the Women's Doubles gold medal match, New Zealand's Joelle King and Amanda Landers-Murphy won 2-0 (11-8, 11-8) against their English opponents, Sarah-Jane Perry and Alison Waters.
In the Men's Doubles, Greg Lobban and Rory Stewart of Scotland won bronze following a 2-0 (11-10, 11-6) victory over Malaysia's Eain Yow Ng and Che Yuen. It was an all-English gold medal match, with James Willstrop and James Declan taking out gold against fellow Englishmen Adrian Waller and Daryl Selby, 2-1 (11-3, 7-11, 11-9).
Good badminton sees England and India major winners on final day
All five disciplines of the 2022 Birmingham badminton competition were held on Day 11, with England and India winning three medals each - two gold and one silver - during the final day of the Commonwealth Games.
The Mixed Doubles saw England's Marcus Ellis and Lauren Smith emerge victorious 2-0 (21-18, 21-15) against Singapore's Terry Hee and Jessica Tan, though the latter won more service games.
The next match on the schedule was the Women's Singles, contested by India's Venkata Pusarla and Canada's Michelle Li, with the former winning 2-0 (21-15, 21-13), getting to the win by scoring a combined 22 points to nine on her respective service games.
In the Men's Singles gold medal match, India's Lakshya Sen came from one game down to collect the win against Malaysia's Tze Yong Ng, 2-1 (19-21, 21-9,21-16). Sen won more points with and without service to his opponent over the course of the three games.
The Men's Doubles featured England's Ben Lane and Sean Vendy, coming up against India's Satwick Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty, with the India pair winning 2-0 (21-15, 21-13). The Indian duo won more points from service as they grew their lead throughout each game.
The final badminton event of the Commonwealth Games was the Women's Doubles, which was won by Malaysia's Koong Lee Pearly Tan and Muralitheran Thinaah 2-0 (21-5, 21-8) over England's Chloe Birch and Lauren Smith. The Malaysian pair never were behind throughout the match, though the English duo did win 12 points off of their opponents serve.
Closing Ceremony says goodbye to Birmingham and hello to Victoria
The Closing Ceremony at Alexander Stadium brought the 2022 Birmingham Commonwealth Games to an official end, with three-time Commonwealth Games gold medallist Melissa Wu bestowed the honour of being Australia's flagbearer - the first time a diver has been selected as the nation's Closing Ceremony flagbearer at the quadrennial event.
The Closing Ceremony featured many nods to the next host, Victoria, Australia - the first regional Commonwealth Games, taking the action to Bendigo, Ballarat, Geelong, and Gippsland -, in 2026.
The handover to the Australian state included a look into the depth of what regional Victoria has to offer - art, culture, and natural beauty -, with the First Nations Peoples' traditions and contemporary performances contributing culture being at the heart of its role in the Closing Ceremony.
Melbourne-born singer-songwriter Vanessa Amorosi performed her 2011 single Amazing at the Closing Ceremony. This performance was the second time Amorosi has sung at a Commonwealth Games handover, also taking the stage as part of the Manchester to Melbourne handover in 2002.
Before you move on, why not give our Facebook page a like here? Or give our Twitter account a follow to keep up with our work here.