8 Aug 2022

Commonwealth Games: Record-breaking gold medal haul

From Morning Report, 7:36 am on 8 August 2022

New Zealand has won two gold medals on a historic morning at the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham making it a record haul of 19 golds now.

Cyclist Aaron Gate became the first New Zealander to secure four golds at a single Games when he surged to victory in the men's road race.

Hours later, our mixed doubles squash pair of Paul Coll and Joelle King thrashed English opponents in a one-sided final.

It lifted New Zealand's gold medal tally in Birmingham to 19, which is our best at any Games - surpassing the 17 won when we last played host - in Auckland in 1990.

Gate's triumph came after he scooped three golds on the track, making his victory in the gruelling 160-kilometre road race all the more memorable.

Despite his leg muscles constantly cramping over the final stages, he found the energy to see off South Africa's Daryl Impey and Scotland's Finn Crockett. T

he 31-year-old Aucklander told Sky Sport self-preservation became a focus over the closing stages.

Coll and King needed little more than half an hour to see off English pair Alison Waters and Adrian Waller.

It follows Coll's gold in the men's singles last week. He said teamwork was at the heart of the straight set doubles win. New Zealand also clinched two bronze medals overnight - through our women's sports teams.

Both the Silver Ferns netballers and White Ferns cricketers beat England in their play-offs for third place.

They were satisfying results after both teams lost to England earlier in the Games. Silver Ferns coach Dame Noeline Taurua said the importance her team's 55-48 win shouldn't be underestimated.

The White Ferns also ended a mixed campaign on a high, chasing down England's target of 110 with 8 overs to spare.

Captain Sophie Devine, who anchored New Zealand's innings with an unbeaten 51, says the result was positive but she was disappointed not to reach the final.

Currently, the women's beach volleyball pair of Alice Zeimann and Shaunna Polley are leading Vanuatu opponents in the bronze medal playoff.