Triplegold last day takes NZ to fifth on medal table
GOLD COAST: The last day of the Gold Coast Commonwealth Games went almost to plan — New Zealand picking up three more golds and a bronze and lifting to fifth on the medal table.
Only the Silver Ferns netballers missing out on bronze — losing to Jamaica — tarnished yesterday’s efforts as squash players Joelle King and Amanda LandersMurphy won the women’s doubles finals before the women’s and men’s sevens sides won a brace of golds at Robina Stadium.
The women’s Black Ferns Sevens extratime 1712 win over host and Rio gold medallist Australia was the most thrilling moment, former Dunedinite Kelly Brazier scoring a heartstopping matchwinner at the end of a nearly 90m run.
‘‘It’s so special to us, our families and our country to be the first gold medallist in women’s rugby at the Commonwealth Games,’’ player Theresa Fitzpatrick said afterwards.
‘‘I guess the last time we played them it was the pinnacle event at the Olympics. We were just a little bit short but I’m really proud of our whole team. It feels so good. We put it all on the field; it feels so good.’’
Earlier yesterday, the Tall Blacks got up from a lastgasp loss to Canada on Saturday to beat Scotland for bronze in the men’s basketball.
The three golds meant New Zealand overtook South Africa to be fifth on the medal table with 15 golds, 16 silvers and 15 bronzes after 11 days of competition.
It is the secondbest goldmedal haul after the 1990 Games in Auckland (17) and the total of 46 medals sits behind those of only the 1990 Games (58) and 1950 Games (54), also in Auckland.
Australia topped the Gold Coast medal table with 98 golds, followed by England (45), India (26) and Canada (also 15 gold but 82 in total). — AAP
GOLD COAST: Hosting the Commonwealth Games is ‘‘not currently on the table’’ for New Zealand, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said after she paid a flying visit to the Gold Coast event.
Ms Ardern was on hand to see the New Zealand women’s hockey team stun the hosts 41 and take gold on Saturday.
‘‘To see the jubilation on their supporters and spectators’ faces . . . absolutely wonderful,’’ she told reporters afterwards.
New Zealand has hosted the Games three times: Auckland in 1990, Christchurch in 1974 and Auckland in 1950 when it was called the British Empire Games.
Birmingham will host the Games in 2022 and it has been suggested Christchurch could aim to host in 2026, which would boost the city as it continues to recover from the deadly 2011 earthquake.
It has cost $A2 billion ($NZ2.1 billion) in state, federal and local government outlay to host the Gold Coast Games, The Australian reports.
‘‘There is no doubt largescale events, like of course the Rugby World Cup — we are soon to host the America’s Cup again — no doubt they bring economic benefit,’’ Ms Ardern said.
However, the Government did not have a vision of anything the scale of the Games.
‘‘We are refreshing our major events’ look and strategy and that’s something that obviously will probably be raised along the way but at the moment it’s not currently on the table.’’
New Zealand picked up 46 medals — 15 golds, 16 silver and 15 bronze.
However, the Government had no expectations on medal numbers.
‘‘The more the merrier,’’ Ms Ardern said.
‘‘Ultimately my hope is that each athlete who has set their own personal goals fulfils them, whether that’s medals or personal bests or national records. My hope is they come away satisfied with their games experience.
‘‘I set targets on governments, not sports people.’’ — NZN