Rainey earns first women's boxing medal as Scotland claim three bronzes

Caitlin Rainey made history by claiming Scotland’s first medal in women’s boxing by taking bronze – but the country will end the Commonwealth Games without a gold or silver after a day of disappointment at the SEC.

After Rainey’s defeat, male counterparts Sonny Kerr and Robert McNulty were the Scots’ last chance to go for gold on Saturday’s finals day but both also had to settle for bronze after semi-final defeats.

Rainey, 23, can at least take some satisfaction in making history despite losing on split-decision to Northern Ireland’s Kaci Rock, having taken the first round.

Rock landed an impressive hit at the end of the second to force a nail-bitingly close final round, which just went in her favour.

Taxi driver Rainey was naturally disappointed with the outcome having “just fallen short” but she was able to find the positives in her historic performance.

“I’m proud of myself and I hope I’ve made my family proud,” she told BBC Sport Scotland. “I’m disappointed not to be in the final and give the fans something to cheer for but I can take a lot away from this.

“I hope I can inspire the next lot coming through and they can go one better than me and get that gold medal for Team Scotland that we’re all rooting for.”

Like Rainey, Kerr and McNulty knew they already had at least a bronze coming into their fights and that’s what they will go home with.

Aberdeen’s Kerr lost to Northern Ireland’s Jon McConnell in the 70kg division and McNulty to Isaac Okoh of England in the 90kg – both by unanimous decision.

“Fights like that are about tactics and I didn’t get them right, so it definitely feels like gold or silver lost,” Kerr, 21, told BBC Sport Scotland.

“Maybe in a week or two I can celebrate it, because it is a good achievement, but not now that I’ve just got out of the ring.”

Lochwinnoch’s McNulty might have to wait a bit longer, the 23-year-old having broken down in tears when greeted by his team-mates post-fight and left the arena to upset to talk about his defeat.

It concludes a disappointing few days in the ring for the hosts’ young squad, who end the event with just three bronzes.