‘Gizzy boy’ grit grabs the bronze
New Zealand’s plan to medal in the mixed team triathlon was fairly simple – set things up for the boy from Gisborne to finish things off.
Tayler Reid, a Commonwealth Games favourite for his curly blonde locks, held off the challenge of Canada’s Matthew Sharpe to earn bronze yesterday.
That was after an impressive start from Nicole Van Der Kaay and two brilliant run legs for Ryan Sissons and Andrea Hewitt opened up a gap in third place.
Triathlon may be an individual sport, but the sight of Sissons screaming at his team-mate Reid at the end showed that this was a team hunting for silverware, and ‘‘the Gizzy boy’’ made sure the bronze didn’t slip.
Australia won gold ahead of England, but they were in a race of their own. Sissons admitted it was tough after finishing the second leg, then watching his team-mates take over the hunt for the podium.
‘‘It’s pretty scary. You’re sitting on the sideline,’’ Sissons said of the unfamiliar feeling. ‘‘[We had] full faith in Tayler, he absolutely killed that last leg. We set ourselves up from the very start and we knew we were in the game. We left it to the Gizzy boy to finish it off and he went full gak on that, it was awesome.’’
Van Der Kaay led out for New Zealand, leaving the water in sixth place. A fast move through transition saw her jump into her bike leg in third spot, but as part of a group of chasing athletes with Australia’s Gillian Backhouse and England’s Vicky Holland up front.
Along with the Canadian and Welsh team, Van Der Kaay tried to make sure the lead didn’t stretch too far as South Africa’s former Kiwi athlete Simone Ackermann slipped back through injury.
It was Sissons who made the real move for New Zealand, setting them up for their medal finish.
‘‘I was so proud of my team,’’ Reid said. ‘‘They made it easy for me. All I had to do was put my head down and go for it and hold on for dear life.’’
Meanwhile, Track sprinter Emma Cumming has won her second Commonwealth Games medal.
The 20-year-old claimed bronze in the women’s 500-metre time trial at the Anna Meares Velodrome in Brisbane last night.
She clocked a time of 34.230 to pip her team-mate, Natasha Hansen, for third place by .008 of a second. Cumming won silver with Hansen in the team sprint on Thursday, while Hansen managed silver in the women’s sprint on Friday night in what has become a strong campaign for the female contingent of the New Zealand sprint team.
At just 16 and already doing special things for the national senior women’s team, it’s fair to say 16-year-old Waikato prodigy Charlisse Leger-Walker has the hoops world at her feet.
Thought to be the youngest-ever Tall Fern, yesterday in Cairns she came of age on the international stage, leading New Zealand to a comprehensive 80-49 victory over Jamaica in their second appearance at the Commonwealth Games.
The win improved the Ferns to 2-0 in Pool B and put them on course for progression to the quarterfinals where they will likely meet the bottom side from the higherseeded Pool A.
And Leger-Walker’s contribution, in just her second appearance at this level, could not be underestimated.
The St Peter’s, Cambridge, student poured in a game-high 18 points in 24 minutes for the New Zealanders as they finally found their groove after a slow start.
Leger-Walker, the daughter of Ferns legend Leanne Walker, demonstrated what a hot prospect she is as she knocked down six of her 11 shots, including four of seven from beyond the arc. Just for good measure the youngster added a team-high six rebounds, four assists, a steal and a blocked shot.
She had 15 of her points in an electric first two quarters, where she made all five of her shots and all three of her attempts from long range.
Jordan Hunter chipped in with 11 points (4/9 FG, 3/6 3PT), two rebounds and a pair of assists for the Ferns, while Chevannah Paalvast made four of her five shots to finish with 10 points, four boards and four steals.
Natalie Taylor and Erin Rooney added nine points apiece for the Kiwis, Antonio Edmondson a tidy six points and five boards, while Micaela Cocks stuffed the statsheet with four points, five rebounds and a half-dozen dimes.
The Jamaicans were paced by a dozen points and 15 rebounds from Jennifer George, while former netball star Althea Byfield could manage just five points and a pair of rebounds.
The Ferns had led just 17-16 after the first quarter, but hit their straps with a 24-9 second stanza to break the game open. From there the result was never in doubt as strong New Zealand defence harried the Jamaicans into a mammoth 32 turnovers, and just 32 percent shooting.
Coach Guy Molloy, though, would not have been happy with 20 turnovers from his own side, nor a mediocre 37 percent shooting clip.
New Zealand 80 (Charlisse Leger-Walker 18, Jordan Hunter 11, Chevannah Paalvast 10) Jamaica 49 (Jennifer George 12). HT: 41-25.