Marlborough Express

Bravo, Bravo

-

A stunning batting blitz from Darren Bravo helped seal a dramatic one-wicket win for the Chennai Super Kings over Mumbai Indians in a memorable opening match of the 2018 IPL season. The defending champions looked well on course for victory after reducing the Super Kings to 118-8 in response to their score of 165-4. But Bravo, clubbed 68 from just 30 balls to give his side hope before getting out in the penultimat­e over leaving the Super Kings with 10 runs to score from the last three balls. Kedar Jadhav held his nerve in magnificen­t style, hitting a six and a boundary to help his side to memorable victory with a ball to spare.

When the cramps started, she was in bronze medal position, but her ability to push through the pain earned her silver when Australian Claire Tallent was disqualifi­ed for lifting with only 2km to go.

She also knew her father would be somewhere in the crowd willing her on.

‘‘Both my parents are here. My dad hasn’t left New Zealand since 1973, so for him to make the trip over was a really big deal.

‘‘That’s what was going through my mind when I was cramping up, that I just needed to get to the finish line to do them proud.’’

Barber’s mother, Shirley Somervell, competed as a runner at the 1974 Commonweal­th Games in Christchur­ch, which Barber said made yesterday’s result extra special.

The 30-year-old walked the last few metres with a huge grin on her face, high-fiving friends and fans and waving two flags – the New Zealand one and the silver fern.

Her joy was in stark contrast to Tallent, who slumped to the ground in tears after her disqualifi­cation, leaving compatriot Jemima Montag to win by more than a minute from Barber.

Barber was always in the top four going through the first 5km with a group of three Australian­s: Montag, Tallent and Beki Smith.

But Montag and Tallent broke away at the 8km point, with Barber and Smith unable to keep pace.

Barber was able to stay within 20 seconds at the 12km mark as Smith fell away.

Her mother finished seventh in the 800m in Christchur­ch, and fifth in the 4 x 400m relay.

Barber also used to be an 800m runner but suffered knee soreness when attempting to run longer distances. To keep fit without aggravatin­g the injury, she took up race walking and stuck with it.

She was 35th at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games.

Earlier, fellow Kiwi Quentin Rew was fifth in his 20km race walk, finishing two minutes off the medal places.

More Comm Games P14

Newspapers in English

Newspapers from New Zealand