Glasgow 2014: Five England silvers on thrilling night of athletics

Laura Weightman capped a night of silver celebration for English athletes as her gutsy 1500m run brought her a first senior medal.

Weightman ran a perfectly judged tactical race in a classic championship affair after Will Sharman just missed out on Commonwealth 110m hurdles gold and Ashley Bryant sealed two fine days of competition to win decathlon silver.

Laura Samuel produced a huge personal best to deservedly take another silver in the triple jump, while Nick Miller matched that in the hammer as Mark Dry took bronze for Scotland.

The 1500m had been billed as one of the races of the Games, and of the home athletes it was Weightman who dealt with the pressure best.

After a slow first lap she followed Kenya's Hellen Obiri to the front and then cut up the inside at the bell.

Although Faith Kipyegon came past her on the back straight and went away for gold, Weightman dug in again over the closing 60m to hold off the fast-finishing Kate van Buskirk of Canada in four minutes 09.24 seconds.

Glasgow favourite Laura Muir had her heels clipped coming into the home straight to cost her a chance of a medal after she had been roared into contention by the sell-out crowd.

Bryant produced a javelin of 66.24m and a 4:38.24 1500m for a total of 8,109 points to secure his own debut international medal, Canada's Damian Warner scoring 8,282 points to win gold, with Grenada's Kurt Felix in bronze.

Bryant, who earlier produced a personal best of 4.70m in the pole vault, told BBC Sport: "I'm so relieved.

"This is my first major medal, and I couldn't be happier. To go round with the flag knowing I've come second is absolutely incredible."

Samuel had never before jumped 14 metres but a 14.09m in the second round won her silver behind Jamaican Kimberley Williams's 14.21.

The 23-year-old, who won World Junior silver four years ago, admitted afterwards: "I was not expecting that. I'm so happy to do it.

"Hopefully I can keep going over 14m now. To actually get a medal is quite surreal."

Sharman, meanwhile, led coming to the eighth hurdle but hit the barrier with his trail leg to lose his rhythm and allow Jamaica's Andrew Riley to snatch gold by four hundredths of a second.

The 29-year-old Englishman's 13.36 seconds on a cool, blustery evening was enough to keep Barbados' Shane Brathwaite in bronze, but his anguish at missing out on a first major title was clear.

He said: "I hit one really badly and it spun me sideways. I was just flipping into the next gear, trying to move away.

"This is sport. That's what happens. If I hadn't been spun I'm sure I would have run a much quicker time. I normally don't give anyone anything at that stage in the race."

Miller's second-round 72.99m was enough for silver in a hammer contest won by Canadian Jim Steacy's 74.16, with Dry lifting the home mood with a bronze for Scotland with his second-round 71.64.

Elsewhere, England's Kate Avery and Scotland's Beth Potter had a race of their own in the women's 10,000m, Avery pinching fourth by one hundredth of a second with a late surge for the line.

Kenya's athletes filled the first three positions, with Joyce Chepkirui taking gold in thrilling fashion from Florence Kiplagat.

England's Martyn Rooney looked impressive as he won his 400m semi-final in 45.22, despite easing up towards the end.

Rooney said: "That was the easiest I've felt since 2008. I don't know where I've been since then but it is coming right now."

Team-mates Michael Bingham and Nigel Levine failed to make the final, but Olympic champion and world number one Kirani James of Grenada qualified in 45.14 without breaking sweat.

England's Kelly Massey finished eighth in the women's 400m, as Jamaica's Stephanie McPherson claimed gold.

Olympic long jump champion Greg Rutherford needed just one attempt to qualify for his final with a leap of 8.05m.

Kenyan world record holder and Olympic champion David Rudisha reached the semi-finals of the 800m in an impressive 1:46.89, but England's world indoor bronze medallist Andrew Osagie was disqualified after tangling with Wales' Joe Thomas.

Eilidh Child, the poster girl of Glasgow 2014, qualified for Thursday's 400m hurdles final by winning her heat in 55.56.

Silver medallist Laura Samuel celebrates with winner Kimberly Williams after the women's triple jump final

England's Will Sharman on his way to 110m hurdles silver

Nick Miller lets fly in the hammer en route to another silver on England's memorable night

Martyn Rooney takes the acclaim from the Hampden Park crowd after roaring into the men's 400m final

English runner Kate Avery's dramatic late sprint sees her pip Scotland's Beth Potter to fourth place in the women's 10,000m final

Potter and Avery embrace at the end before heading on a celebratory lap of the stadium