Fifth NZ medal in the pool!
Erika Fairweather has made history in the pool winning her third medal in Glasgow in the first time the 1500m freestyle has been raced at the Commonwealth Games.
She became the first Kiwi female swimmer to win three medals at a single Commonwealth Games, and was “super stoked” to perform strongly in her first 1500m at a major long course event.
The freestyle specialist came agonisingly close to a fourth medal on Sunday, adding a 200m freestyle bronze to her 400m silver from day one, then finishing fourth anchoring the 4x100m freestyle mixed relay.
“I’ve been so lucky these Games,” Fairweather said with her second silver around her neck. “A lot of hard work is paying off, so it’s nice to reap the rewards of that.”
Fairweather made her intentions clear straight off the blocks, following eventual winner Australian Lani Pallister at the front of the field in the first 50m. She held on to second spot throughout the marathon race, holding off another Aussie Molly Walker, and clocked 15m 58.97s, just half a second outside her personal best.
Two other Kiwi swimmers performed admirably in the swimmer’s mile: Caitlin Deans finished fifth in a personal best time of 16m 08.62s, while Eve Thomas was eighth.
Fairweather, who had never won a Commonwealth medal before the weekend, still has another two events on her dance card in Glasgow – the 800m freestyle and the 4x200m freestyle relay.
Dame Sophie Pascoe, now retired and a Sky presenter for these Games, won two golds in the pool at both the Glasgow 2014 and Gold Coast 2018 (with one gold at Birmingham 2022) Games.
Performances of the day
Netball: The Silver Ferns have scored a crucial victory over 2022 silver medallists Jamaica, 53-48, paving a clearer path to the semifinals.
Led by captain Karen Burger, who claimed four gains, three intercepts and six deflections, the Ferns’ defence saved the day whenever the Sunshine Girls surged back multiple times, to be within one at halftime, 26-25.
Goal shoot Grace Nweke had a tough day at the office, scoring 84 percent of her shots and giving up seven turnovers under massive pressure from Jamaica’s defence.
The Ferns’ midcourt kept control of the game through court, with precision passing and shutting down Jamaica’s aerial game.
Ferns coach Dame Noeline Taurua was reassured her team were heading in the right direction.
“The resolve we had in the team, our ability to grind in the attacking end – they were under immense defensive pressure by Jamaica. But also defensively, we got a lot of good ball, especially with our through-court d, which is something we’ve been working on,” she told Sky Sport.
The win means the Ferns will likely avoid meeting defending champions Australia in the semifinals, after the Diamonds comfortably shrugged off England, 66-47. They powered to a 18-11 start and displayed their physicality, speed and fitness throughout the match.
Boxing: Former BMX world champion turned bantamweight boxer Greer Hall is one win away from a medal after an emphatic victory in her round of 16 fight.
The 20-year-old 54kg fighter from Cambridge had little trouble winning her first-up bout with Botswana’s Keatlarsetse Gift Modise by unanimous decision, using her strong right hand to do the damage.
“It exceeded my expectations. I felt really good in there,” said Hall, who had a bye in the round of 32. “It was an awesome fight and I got the job done.”
She’ll now fight Scarlett Delgado of Canada on Tuesday night in the quarterfinals, where a win will guarantee Hall at least a bronze medal. “I can always do better, right? You don’t know until you get in [the ring], so I’ll just see what comes out and hopefully it will be good.”
Swimming: Still buzzing from her bronze medal 24 hours earlier, Hazel Ouwehand went for broke in the 100m butterfly semifinal and swam her way into tomorrow’s final.
Ouwehand was third in her heat in 1m 00.33s, putting her slower swim down to a long previous day: standing on the dais then struggling to settle into sleep.
She achieved her aim to swim 58s in the semifinal this morning – leading at the turn then finishing fourth in 58.56s, qualifying seventh-fastest.
“I might as well crank it as much as I can in the first [50m] and then just hold on for dear life,” she said.
She said it
“If resilience was a muscle, mine would be pretty buff, I think” – gymnast Courtney McGregor on bouncing back after an early mistake on the uneven bars in the women’s all-round final.
The good news
Gymnastics: North Shore Hospital trainee doctor Courtney McGregor, the sole New Zealand female gymnast remaining in action in Glasgow, finished 15th in the all-round final.
The 2016 Rio Olympian, who has returned to competition after five years in retirement, posted 13.35 on vault, 10.80 on the uneven bars, 11.35 on the floor and 11.65 on the beam, for a total of 47.15. Tomorrow she competes in the vault final, her favourite event.
Bowls: The New Zealand women’s bowls pair of Katelyn Inch and Serena Goddard are still in the reckoning for a medal after a comprehensive victory over Fiji.
In their best form at these Games, they beat Losalini Tukai and Litia Tikoisuva 10-2, 9-1. They lie second equal with Canada on the points table, and have yet to meet the unbeaten Welsh pair.
Swimming: World junior champion Zoe Pedersen underlined her potential for the second day running, finishing third in her 100m freestyle heat to qualify fifth-fastest overall for the morning’s semifinal.
A day after her fifth placing in the 50m butterfly, the 19-year-old from Whangaparāoa wasn’t able to make it two finals from two, finishing seven in her semi in 55.49s – slower than her heat swim. Again, the final will be dominated by Australians.
“I was really happy with that… it’s tough when you’ve got two world record holders on either side of you,” Pedersen said.
Fellow Kiwi Chelsey Edwards, who narrowly missed a medal in the mixed relay, was fifth in her 50m fly heat and did not progress.
The not-so good news
Athletics: Okay he may not be female [for coverage in LockerRoom!] but the bad news out of Glasgow is Olympic gold medallist Hamish Kerr will not defend his high jump title.
“Early in the year I felt a bit burnt out and needing to take a step back to reset both mentally and physically,” he said. “Since then, I’ve been back training and feel I’m making encouraging progress.”
The outstanding Kiwi jumper won his first international gold medal at the 2022 Birmingham Commonwealth Games. He will stay to support the rest of the New Zealand team, with the track and field programme starting tonight.
What the?
The New Zealander heading the jury on the opening day of weightlifting in Glasgow, Paule Poulin leads a double life.
Living in Wellington, Poulin is heavily involved in the sport as a top lifting administrator and a Masters competitor. But as recently as 2023, she wore the maple leaf of Canada at the Masters World Cup, where she won gold and was best lifter in the women’s 50-54 age category.
Poulin spent 22 years in the Canadian Armed Forces before moving to New Zealand a decade ago where she’s worked in the High Commission of Canada ever since. Before heading to Glasgow as a technical official, she lifted at last month’s North Island championships.
Who’s up next
BOWLS: Selina Goddard & Katelyn Inch, women’s pairs, Mon 7.30pm, potential semifinal Tue 7.40am, Mixed para pair, semifinal Tue 6am
SWIMMING: Savannah-Eve Martin, Amber George, 50m backstroke, Mon 9.57pm (finals Tue 7.28am). Zoe Pedersen, 100m freestyle final, Tue 6.26am. Hazel Vanessa Ouwehand, 100m butterfly final, Tue 7.01am. Caitlin Deans, Erika Fairweather, Milana Tapper & Eve Thomas, 4x200m freestyle relay, Tue 8.20am.
ATHLETICS: Lauren Bruce, hammer throw, Mon 10.40pm
3×3 BASKETBALL: NZ vs Scotland, Tue 12.10am; vs Singapore, Tue 7.20am
GYMNASTICS: Courtney McGregor, vault final, Tue 1.03am
