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Picture of the day – March 22

On this day in 2006, Kelly Sotherton won gold for England in the heptathlon at the Commonwealth Games in Melbourne.

A score of 6,396 placed her ahead of home favourite Kylie Wheeler and team-mate Jessica Ennis, who had to settle for bronze.

Finishing fourth in the 800 metres – the final event – ensured Sotherton picked up 949 points to end 98 points overall ahead of nearest challenger and Australian Wheeler.

In her post-race interview, the Isle of Wight athlete expressed her disappointment with her overall display but said: “At the end of the day it’s a gold medal and you can’t complain.”

It would prove the only major championship gold of Sotherton’s career, although she claimed bronze medals at the 2004 and 2008 Olympic Games.

In 2015 the Commonwealth gold medal was stolen from her Sutton Coldfield home but subsequently returned a few weeks later following an appeal by the heptathlete.