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MANCHESTER, Aug 4: Former world number one Leilani Rorani, who feared her career might be finished earlier in the year, made a piece of sporting history winning two Commonwealth Games doubles medals here Sunday.
She and Glen Wilson, who has not played on the world circuit for four years, became the first Maoris to win medals in squash, when they became improbable mixed doubles champions.
They won the final 15-11, 15-7 against Ong Beng Hee and Nicol David, the first Malaysians to win a medal in this sport, and within another four hours Rorani had picked up a second gold.
She and Carol Owens recovered from 6-10 down in the third game to overcome the defending women’s doubles champion from England, Cassie Jackman, and her new partner Tania Bailey, before the New Zealanders won 15-11, 5-15, 15-13.
In between these two triumphs, Peter Nicol, the world number one, gained consolation for losing his men’s singles title four days ago, winning the men’s doubles gold medal with the British national champion Lee Beachill.
The English pair beat the Australians Stewart Boswell and Anthony Ricketts 15-11, 15-12.
KIWIS, CANADA DOMINATE
New Zealand, Canada and Malaysia seized their opportunity to bask in the gold medal spotlight before the giants of Australia and England resumed their battle in the pool.
Canada started the day in blistering fashion by winning both triathlons before their wrestlers triumphed in all three weight divisions.
New Zealand too picked up five more golds and Malaysia won four of the five badminton finals as well as a surprise victory in lawn bowls.
Carol Montgomery of Canada won the women’s triathlon with Leanda Cave of Wales putting in a sprint finish to take the silver medal and Nicole Hackett of Australia the bronze.
Then Olympic champion Simon Whitfield won the men’s event ahead of Miles Stewart of Australia.
Canada’s golden haul continued when Guivi Sissaouri defeated Shokinder Tomar of India in the 60kg wrestling final, Dean Schmeichel beat Victor Kodei of Nigeria in the 96kg section and Daniel Igali clinched the 74kg title.
New Zealand also had five golds to their name with the Kiwis beating Fiji 33-15 in the final of the rugby sevens to defend the title they won four years ago while Li Chunli defeated Li Jia Wei of Singapore 11-6, 11-9, 5-11, 11-5, 11-8 in the final of the women’s table tennis singles.
Joanna Edwards and Sharon Sims then took the gold in the women’s pairs lawn bowls.
Malaysia clinched badminton gold through Muhammad Hafiz Hashim in the men’s singles, Lim Pek Siah and Li Peng in the women’s doubles and Chew Choon Eng and Chan Chong Ming who took the men’s doubles.
Malaysia were also celebrating in the bowls when Ahmad Siti Zalina clinched the women’s singles.
England’s lone gold came from Simon Archer and Jo Goode in the badminton mixed doubles while Scotland celebrated their fifth gold when Alex Marshall and George Sneddon won the men’s pairs lawn bowls.—AFP
