Comm Games: Six named in wrestling team

Sam Belkin, right, will compete in the men's 97kg competition. Photo / Bay of Plenty Times

A team of six athletes has been named to represent New Zealand in wrestling at the Glasgow Commonwealth Games.

Christchurch all-rounder Tayla Ford leads the team, going into the games a Commonwealth Championship bronze medallist and current Oceania champion. The only female in the team, Ford will contest the 58kg class and look to secure a medal in the freestyle discipline.

97kg competitor Sam Belkin and heavyweight Marcus Carney are also heading to Glasgow 2014 aiming to improve on strong 4th and 5th Commonwealth Championship placings. Carney narrowly missed selection for the London 2012 Olympic Team.

Ford,Belkin and Carney will be joined by Oceania Championship gold medallists Soukananh Thongsingh (61kg) and Stephen Hill (86kg) as well as Canada-based Craig Miller who will compete in the 65kg class.

Ford, who represented New Zealand in Judo and played for Canterbury in women's Rugby Sevens, says that she is excited to be heading to the Commonwealth Games and with still 60 days to go will make the most the time remaining.

"I came away with bronze in South Africa but I know I can up my game," she said on her selection today. "I have increased the number of wrestling trainings I do and I've started weightlifting. I feel good and I'm focused on coming home with a medal from Glasgow. It's exciting."

The athletes now depart for Europe and North America to ensure they find the intensity of training required in the build-up.

New Zealand has won 27 Commonwealth Games wrestling medals since the first in 1938 (Sydney). The last medals won by New Zealand wrestlers were two silvers and a bronze in 1986 in Edinburgh.

Six athletes competed in wrestling at the Delhi Commonwealth Games across both freestyle and Greco-Roman disciplines.

The athletes named today are:
Tayla Ford - Women's 58kg
Sam Belkin - Men's 97kg
Marcus Carney - Men's 125kg
Craig Miller - Men's 65kg
Soukananh Thongsinh - Men's Freestyle - 61kg
Stephen Hill- Men's Freestyle - 86kg