Squash: Rorani, Wilson win gold in mixed doubles

Leilani Rorani and Glen Wilson have won New Zealand's first Commonwealth Games squash gold medal in the mixed doubles final in Manchester.

The pair were too good for Malaysian combination Nicol David and Beng Hee Ong at the National Squash Centre, cruising to a 15-11 15-9 win in just over half an hour.

For Rorani, of Hamilton, it was her first Games medal after missing out in Kuala Lumpur four years ago while Wilson, of Wellington, improved on the bronze he won in 1998 in the same event with Sarah Cook. It was Wilson's only event of the Games.

Rorani had a chance to make it double gold later today in the women's doubles final with Carol Owens against English pair Tania Bailey and Cassie Jackman.

Rorani, 28, snapped her achilles tendon in training late last year, and admitted she thought a gold medal was well out of reach. She told New Zealand manager Neven Barbour two months ago it was unlikely she would make it here.

"I didn't think I was any good coming over here. It was so hard coming back and I made so many errors," she said.

"Glen and I just joked to each other, 'Wouldn't it be cool to win a gold medal. It's such a buzz."

Wilson, who is based in London where he runs a squash centre, said the pair had earned their gold with several tough games squeezed into a tight schedule.

"It's probably going to hit me in about 10 minutes when I get up on the podium. We're just glad it's all over, it's been an intense few days," the 31-year-old said.

- NZPA

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