It may well be the greatest days in Illawarra sporting history.
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Our athletes have played a major role in leading Australia to the top of the Commonwealth Games medal count.
The region's athletes had won nine of Australia's 46 gold medals in Birmingham to date.
That puts Illawarra in fifth place on the medal tally, ahead of Scotland and South Africa, countries which have won seven and six gold medals respectively. And the good news for the region is that there are more gold medal chances up for grabs. Wollongong hockey players Blake Govers and Flynn Ogilivie are members of the all-conquering Kookaburras squad favourite to win gold in Birmingham.
Gerringong's Grace Stewart also plays for the Hockeyroos outfit well in the hunt to at least medal.
And on Friday (AEST time) one of the Illawarra's brightest track stars, Jessica Hull runs in the heats of her pet event, the 1500m.
It promises to be a great meet for the Albion Park talent, who has lit up the international stage this year.
Illawarra gold medal winners include Wollongong Roller Hawks player Luke Pople, who helped Australia's men's wheelchair basketball side claim the first ever 3x3 basketball gold at a Commonwealth Games.
Fellow Roller Hawks player Hannah Dodd picked up a silver medal for Australia in the women's 3x3 wheelchair basketball tournament.
Tinka Easton from Berry produced something special to win gold in the women's 52kg judo.
Jasmine Greenwood, the Figtree-born Para-athlete, who now lives in Sussex Inlet, claimed gold in the women's 200m individual medley SM10.
Illawarra's other six gold medals were won by Wollongong's queen of the pool Emma McKeon, who finished the Birmingham campaign as the most successful Commonwealth Games athlete in history.
McKeon now has 20 career Commonwealth medals, eclipsing the previous record of 18, shared by South African swimmer Chad le Clos and two shooters, Australia's Phillip Adams and England's Mick Gault. The record-breaking McKeon swam in eight events. And medalled in all - she also won a silver and bronze. McKeon exits Birmingham with a string of high-water marks.
I'm happy with how the week went, it's more than I could have expected.
- Emma McKeon
More career medals, 20, than any Commonwealth Games athlete. More career gold medals, 14, than anyone.
Equal most gold medals at a single Games, six.
Equal most medals at a single Games, eight (six gold, silver, bronze).
"I'm happy with how the week went, it's more than I could have expected," McKeon said.
The Birmingham bonanza was McKeon's first international meet since last year's Tokyo Olympics, where she became Australia's most decorated Olympian with four gold and three bronze.
The Commonwealth's greatest athlete said she planned to celebrate with a holiday in Italy.
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