Ten medals in a day: Kerr and Coll secure gold medals

10:28 am on 4 August 2022

Hamish Kerr and Paul Coll have claimed New Zealand's latest gold medals at the Commonwealth Games in the high jump and men's squash singles events.

New Zealand's Paul Coll, left. plays against Joel Makin of Wales in the men's singles gold medal squash match on day six of the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, England, on 3 August, 2022.

New Zealand's Paul Coll plays against Joel Makin of Wales in the men's singles gold medal squash match in Birmingham, England, on 3 August, 2022. Photo: AFP

The golds were New Zealand's third of the day, after Sam Gaze took top honours in the the mountain biking cross-country final, while Ben Oliver won silver in the event.

Hamish Kerr won the men's high jump final, recording a jump of 2.25m to beat out reigning champion Brandon Starc of Australia.

Starc, the brother of Australian cricketer Mitchell Starc, secured the silver medal while India's Tejaswin Shankar took out the bronze medal in the event.

Kerr's gold is New Zealand's first medal of any colour in the men's high jump.

He told Sky Sport he was delighted.

"It seems like a long time coming, I knew I was coming in with some pretty good form but at the same time to get it done it's amazing ... the stadium is awesome and I just really let that take me so yeah I'm in shock," Kerr said.

Gold medallist New Zealand's Hamish Kerr celebrates after the men's high jump final athletics event at the Alexander Stadium, in Birmingham on day six of the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, central England, on 3 August, 2022.

Gold medallist New Zealand's Hamish Kerr celebrates after the men's high jump final athletics event at the Alexander Stadium. Photo: AFP

Paul Coll took until the last set of his match to take out his hard-fought squash singles final against Wales' Joel Makin winning three-games-to-two to become the first New Zealand man to win Commonwealth Games squash gold.

New Zealand has won 10 medals on day six in Birmingham, with Maddison-Lee Wesche taking bronze in the women's shot put.

Gold medallist Marc Deschenes (2nd L) of Canada stands on the podium with silver medallist New Zealand's Kody Andrews and bronze medallists Sebastien Perrinne of Mauritius (2nd R) and Australia's Liam Park (R) during the medal presentation ceremony for the men's +100kg final judo match on day six of the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, central England, on 3 August, 2022.

Men's 100kg+ judo silver medalist Kody Andrews [right] with gold medalist Marc Deschenes (2nd L) of Canada and bronze medallists Sebastien Perrinne of Mauritius (2nd R) and Australia's Liam Park (R). Photo: AFP

Earlier, David Liti won silver in the men's over 109kg weightlifting, Kody Andrews took silver in the men's judo, with fellow judoka's Moira Koster and Sydnee Andrews each winning bronze.

Swimmer Lewis Clareburt finished third in the 200m individual medley and men's mountain bikers Sam Gaze and Ben Oliver won gold and silver for a New Zealand one-two.

Meanwhile in the women's 400m freestyle event, Erika Fairweather and Eve Thomas finished forth and sixth respectively.

After qualifying with the second-fastest time in her semi-final, New Zealand's fastest woman, Zoe Hobbs, placed sixth in the women's 100m sprint finals with a time of 11.19s.

Bronze medalist New Zealand's Lewis Clareburt poses during the medal presentation ceremony for the men's 200m individual medley swimming final at the Sandwell Aquatics Centre, on day six of the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham.

Bronze medalist New Zealand's Lewis Clareburt poses during the medal presentation ceremony for the men's 200m individual medley swimming final. Photo: AFP

In the beach volleyball pool stage, the New Zealand men's beach volleyball team overcame England by two sets to nil this morning while the women's team lost to Canada by straight sets.

With four days left to go in the Commonwealth Games, New Zealand currently sits fourth in the competition medal tally with a total of 16 gold, 10 silver and 10 bronze medals.

Later on today, the women's black sticks are set to take on South Africa at 8pm, the men's lawn bowls singles get back to action starting at 7.30pm along with a range of athletics events starting with the women's hammer throw at 9pm.

Get the RNZ app

for ad-free news and current affairs

We have regular online commentary of local and international sport.