New Zealand duo win mixed doubles squash gold at Commonwealth Games

Joelle King and Amanda Landers-Murphy handed New Zealand their 20th gold and final medal of the Commonwealth Games with victory in their squash women’s doubles final.

The duo scored an 11-8, 11-8 win over the England duo of Sarah-Jane Perry and Alison Waters on Monday night (NZ time) to culminate New Zealand’s campaign in Birmingham, leaving them one short of a half-century of medals.

The 20 gold was the most NZ has won at a Commonwealth Games, while the 49 medals were behind only Auckland 1990 (58) as the country’s biggest overall haul.

King, who surprisingly missed a medal in the women’s singles after entering the competition as the highest-ranked player in the world, ended the Games with two gold after teaming up with men’s singles winner Paul Coll to win the mixed doubles final the previous day.

Landers-Murphy came out of retirement with this event as her target after she and King won the doubles title on the Gold Coast four years ago.

Landers-Murphy was the game’s standout performer, winning the first game with a brilliant cross court boast and hit a number of whippy left-handed shots which put the hosts under pressure.

The 31-year-old said she had many doubts whether she would be up to this level.

“Especially when I stepped back on court the first time.

“To get back out there and play to that level was great – almost more satisfying than the first time; there’s so much going on in my life.”

King paid tribute to her on-court partner.

“She’s so modest, she’s so humble … she’s an absolute star … the effort she put in.

“This is my job – she has another job, she has studies and she sacrificed so much to be here. So my biggest thank you has to go to her.”