Squash star Joelle King is chasing a second Commonwealth Games gold in 24 hours to potentially boost her country’s score on the final day in Birmingham.
King, who won gold in the mixed doubles (NZT) early Monday with Paul Coll, has a quick backup as she teams up with her good friend Amanda Landers-Murphy in the women’s doubles final on Monday around 10pm (NZT). ).
The pair will face England duo Sarah-Jane Perry and Alison Waters in the gold medal match after winning the Commonwealth title on the Gold Coast four years ago.
Landers-Murphy, King’s runner-up at the recent National Championships, talked about how King convinced her to retire to chase double gold in a row in Birmingham.
Anthony Au-Yeung/Photosport
New Zealand women’s doubles Amanda Landers-Murphy and Joelle King.
Gold for the duo would boost New Zealand’s total to 20three clear of the previous record of 17 they won in Auckland in 1990.
At the end of Day 10, New Zealand was fourth in the medal tally with the team’s 19 gold total (48 medals in total), seven golds behind Canada and one ahead of India.
Only four of the 232-man New Zealand team will compete on a shorter final day in Birmingham.
Aside from King and Landers-Murphy, divers Maggie Squire and Frazer Tavener start just after 9pm in the mixed synchronized 3m springboard final.
Then it’s a wrap with just the closing ceremony and identity of New Zealand’s flag bearer to be revealed early Tuesday (NZT).
Kiwis in action on Day 11 of the Commonwealth Games on Monday (all NZ times):
To dive
9.05 pm: Mixed Synchronized 3m Springboard Final (Maggie Squire, Frazer Tavener)
Squash
22:00: Women’s Doubles, Gold Medal Match – Joelle King/Amanda Landers-Murphy v Sarah-Jane Perry/Alison Waters (England).