If there was any doubt left over about whether Australia is in a golden age of athletics, Rose Davies shattered it, to stand alone in history after a stunning 5,000m triumph.

Just three days after she became the first Australian to win the 10,000m event, she backed it up to become the first-ever female athlete in history to complete the golden middle distance double, claiming the 5,000m final ahead of compatriot Jessica Hull as Australia secured a 1-2 finish.

Having stayed with the leading pack from the start, Davies made the decisive move on the back straight to take the lead with Hull sticking to her shoulder.

It looked as if Hull was going to finish stronger, but Davies dug deep to kick away over the last strides.

The pair were separated by just eight hundreths of a second as they crossed the line more than four seconds clear of Scotland’s Megan Keith, who took home bronze.

It’s the first time Australia have secured a 1-2 finish on track since Raelene Boyle and Danies Robertson in the 200m in 1974.

“It was just pure grit in the end,” Davies said.

“I thought I might be in trouble with Hull sitting on my shoulder and just gave it everything I had. I can’t believe it.

“This week hasn’t sunk in yet, but I’ll definitely celebrate tonight.”

The result also bodes well for Hull, who earlier in the day cruised through to the final of the women’s mile along with Abbey Caldwell and Claudia Hollingsworth.

“It’s pretty special to have another Aussie out there with me but to be battling home for the gold against an Aussie was a bit of a mind flip,” she told Seven.

“I’m pretty proud of that, and I’m so proud of Rose, that double is incredible.

“I ran this morning (in the one mile heats), but thinking she ran a 10k three days ago, came back and just wanted it so much tonight, it’s really impressive.”

In contrast, Peter Bol had to work incredibly hard to make the final of the men’s 800m, having twice been checked in the race to halt his momentum.

Bol was last after the first lap, and as he went to make a move coming into the final bend, he got boxed in but kept his head to cross the line in second and qualify.

“That’s the nature of the 800; I stayed relaxed and came through, and I trusted myself, and that was a quality field with the top three from Birmingham,” he said.

“Absolutely, I’m in PB shape, which is a credit to my team.

“It’s going to be a hell of a final.”

He will be joined by teammates Peyton Craig and Luke Boyes, with the latter running the fastest time by an Australian at the Commonwealth Games.

Boyes looked comfortable just controlling his race to come through second but Craig was blocked out down the main straight and had to go the long way round to give himself a chance, and came through to take third.

“It wasn’t pretty, and it was a bit messy, but sometimes you just have to find a way,” Craig says.

Earlier, Australia’s fastest man, Lachie Kennedy, showed no signs of slowing down as he looks to achieve his own rare double in both 100 and 200m disciplines at the same games.

Having stunned the world with a 9.85 in the 100m final to claim silver, Kennedy will be in the frame across the 200m after just missing out on a new personal best in a blistering semifinal run.

The 22-year-old finished third in his semifinal with only a borderline illegal tailwind preventing him from setting a new benchmark, crossing the line in 20.12.

South Africa’s Sinesipho Dambile (19.82) and Canada’s Aaron Brown (19.90), who finished first and second in Kennedy’s heat, were the only semi-final runners under 20 seconds.

No male Australian athlete has won multiple individual sprint medals in a single meet since Steve Hogan’s three bronze at the 1900 Paris Olympics.

Despite a busy program with relay runs to come, Kennedy believes he can find more time come the final.

“I’m pretty gassed; it was hard running out there,” he said post-race.

“I knew it would be the fastest semi and knew if I could hold on for third I’d be good.

“I think I can win tomorrow; I think I’ve got what it takes. It’s all about the details; a lot of 100 and 200m are won between the ears.

“Another race, another final, so that’s good; the 100 is my main game, but they say the best 100 runners also have really good 200s.

“I feel like I’m in PB form in the 200m so hopefully we get a legal wind.”

In the women’s event, Torrie West will also hope to add to her 100m bronze after qualifying fourth fastest after winning her semifinal in a three-way dead heat.

West stormed home across the final metres to pip Jamaica’s Alana Reid and England’s Success Eduan to win by 0.003 seconds in 22.64.

Pleasingly, she too believes there is more to come in the final.

“I feel like I went out really well,” she said.

“I think I relaxed too much coming off the bend, which is where they caught up a bit, so tomorrow I’ll have to stay on the pedal the whole time.”

In her fourth 100m hurdles final, Michelle Jenneke claimed fifth while 15-year-old Lexie Brown came home seventh in the women’s 47 100m.