MEET NZ’S GOLDEN COUPLE
Joy on the turf and in the ring
After yesterday’s historic hockey win, Black Sticks captain Stacey Michelsen is one half of New Zealand’s newest golden couple.
Michelsen’s partner is cyclist Sam Webster, who won gold in both the individual sprint and team sprint.
Both have been cheering each other on via social media, while pursuing their own Commonwealth Games aspirations.
Webster was not at yesterday’s match, but wished his girlfriend congratulations on Instagram.
‘‘An incredible game, so proud! Wish I was there to share this moment with you.’’
Her team swooped to a convincing 4-1 victory over the host country Australia, in the gold medal match.
It was the first time the New Zealand women’s hockey team had won the top gong at the Commonwealth Games, and the jubilation at the end was obvious, the players jumping in the air, whooping and hugging.
The team was cheered to glory by Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern and her partner Clarke Gayford.
Ardern was supposed to stay only a few minutes, but extended her time at the game, applauding the women in black.
The men’s team couldn’t quite pull off the double last night, going down 2-0 against a focused Kookaburras side.
But one Kiwi who was celebrating a double was boxer David Nyika, claiming his second Commonwealth Games gold medal. Nyika, nicknamed Guinness by his team-mates after dyeing his hair blonde, beat Australian Jason Whateley with a unanimous 3-0 decision to win the 91kg heavyweight division yesterday.
Georgia Williams broke a 20-year medal drought in the women’s cycling road race. She won a hard-fought silver on the 112.2kmh course.