Kiwi squash side finds a golden glow in Darwin

New Zealand have struck double gold at the world squash doubles championship in Darwin.

Joelle King, Amanda LandersMurphy, Paul Coll and Campbell Grayson picked up a gold medal in the mixed and women’s events and a bronze medal in the men’s event.

King, winner of a gold and silver medal at the Delhi Commonwealth Games in 2010, featured in t wo of those wins claiming a gold medal with Landers- Murphy in the women’s final and a gold medal with Coll in the mixed final.

In the men’s doubles, Coll and Grayson claimed a bronze medal after they went down to the Australian pairing in the semifinal.

It has been an intense week of squash in Darwin, with 23 matches played between the four players over four days. The final medal tally is an outstanding performance for the team and sets them well on track for the Gold Coast Commonwealth Games in 2018.

Former New Zealand player Glen Wilson, now team manager, had high praise for the collective performance.

“In the finals, they outmuscled and dominated their opponents with relentless pressure and accuracy to take out comfortable wins,” said Wilson.

Squash New Zealand chairman Greg McKeown hopes there could be a funding boost out of the success.

“This i s a pinnacle event in the context of our sport and we are looking up and in the right direction towards the Commonwealth Games in 2018. Squash had its funding cut after some near losses in the last Commonwealth Games. Now we’re back in the medals, hopefully our funding will be positively reviewed towards the end of the year,” McKeown said.