wrap – Michmutters

Hamish Kerr makes history with high jump gold. Video/Sky Sport

All you need to know from yet another successful day at the Commonwealth Games for New Zealand athletes as they claimed historic gold medals.

king of the mountains

Ben Oliver (L) and Sam Gaze celebrate yet another one-two finish for New Zealand in Commonwealth Games mountain biking. Photo / Photosport

Day six began with a bang for New Zealand as Sam Gaze made it back-to-back Commonwealth Games golds in the men’s mountain bike event after a dominant display that also produced silver for fellow Kiwi rider Ben Oliver.

Gaze was in commanding form on Thursday, finishing 31 seconds ahead of Oliver to make it three straight Games that New Zealand has completed a one-two, after Anton Cooper pipped Gaze in Glasgow and before that outcome was acrimoniously reversed on the Gold Coast.

The race was denied the chance of reigniting Gaze and highly-ranked Cooper’s heated rivalry after the latter withdrew from the event due to Covid-19. That left Oliver the opportunity to make his way up the field and he did so well, improving from his fourth place on the Gold Coast in 2018.

Check out or full report from the circuit here.

Paul Coll rallies to new height

Paul Coll with the gold medal he's been dreaming of all week long. Photo / Photosport — Paul Coll with the gold medal he’s been dreaming of all week long. Photo / Photosport

Coll has capped off a huge few years at the top level of men’s squash by winning gold in a tough five-set battle with Wales’ Joel Makin.

After winning silver four years ago on the Gold Coast, Coll briefly ascended to No 1 in the world earlier this year and in 2021 became the first Kiwi man to win the prestigious British Open title, while defending that crown again in April.

History was made again today as Coll became the first Kiwi man to win a gold medal in squash at a Commonwealth Games.

Earlier in the day, Joelle King blew a 2-0 lead in her bronze medal playoff to lose in five sets to world No 6 and hometown favorite Sarah Jane Perry.

Check out Albie Redmore’s full report from the court here.

White men can jump

Hamish Kerr is building an impressive resume amongst the world's best high jumpers. Photo / Photosport — Hamish Kerr is building an impressive resume amongst the world’s best high jumpers. Photo / Photosport

Christchurch’s Hamish Kerr became the first Kiwi man to win a Commonwealth Games high jump medal, claiming a shiny new gold for his cupboard.

Kerr ended up in a head-to-head battle with Australian Brandon Starc, the 2018 gold medal winner and younger brother of cricketer Mitchell Starc.

Both cleared 2.25m and failed at 2.28m, but Starch had earlier failures at lower heights whereas Kerr had been clear.

Kerr joins Tania Murray (nee Dixon) and Tracy Phillips, who claimed gold and bronze respectively in the women’s event at the 1990 Commonwealth Games in Auckland.

Maddi Wesche was a cool customer on the Commonwealth Games days. Photo/Getty

Kerr’s medal was one of two in athletics for the day, with shot putter Maddi Wesche taking out bronze with a throw of 18.84m, a touch shorter than her throw of 18.98m in the final of the Tokyo Olympics. Canada’s Sarah Mitton won gold with a throw of 19.03m.

In the women’s 100m final, Kiwi sprinter Zoe Hobbs finished sixth with a time of 11.19s. She would’ve needed to better her personal best of 11.08 to challenge for the podium.

Olympic champion Elaine Thompson-Herah of Jamaica took out gold with a time of 10.95, with St Lucian Julien Alfred second in 11.01 and England’s Daryll Neita third in 11.07.

Check out our full report from the athletics here.

Liti salvages silver from tough day

David Liti poses with his silver medal besides coach Tina Ball. Photo / Photosport

Popular Kiwi weightlifter David Liti fell short of a second straight Commonwealth Games gold medal but still came away with a silver on a day when he couldn’t find his best form.

Liti set a new Games record in 2018 with a combined weight of 403kg and lifted a total of 417kg at last year’s Olympics. However, he could only muster a total of 394kg on Thursday, leaving the door open for Pakistan’s Nooh Dastgir Butt to claim the gold with a total of 405kg.

The loss to Butt has sparked a desire for revenge in Liti, who says he’s now looking forward to a repeat match up at the world championships.

“He did really good to keep himself ahead, and next time I face off with him it’ll definitely be a good one,” Liti said. “If he comes to worlds, I’ll show him what’s up.”

Check out our full report from the weightlifting here.

Three medal haul for Judo team

Kody Andrews was a proud silver medalist on Thursday. Photo / Photosport

It was a superb day for the New Zealand judo team with Kody Andrews leading a three medal haul with silver in the men’s 100kg event after being pinned by Canada’s Marc Deschenes early in the gold medal bout to lose by Ippon.

Moira De Villiers claimed bronze in the women’s -78kg after defeating Ayuk Otay Arrey Sophina of Cameroon by Ippon with 28 seconds left. It’s her second medal from her after winning silver in Glasgow eight years ago. She defeated fellow Kiwi Hayley Mackey in the quarter-finals, one of her her students at the judo club she runs with her husband Jason Koster in Christchurch. She was then beaten by England’s Emma Reid in the semifinals who went onto win gold.

The bronze bout was a close thing but de Villiers kept her calm and got the win just at the end.

“[It’s] super special. It wasn’t what I wanted but I’m still glad I was able to represent New Zealand and get another medal. I just knew she would gas after a minute I just had to keep going and be a little bit of a dogfight. I’m ruthless on the ground so I knew I was going to get it,” she told Sky Sport.

Gisborne’s Sydnee Andrews also claimed bronze with the 19-year-old promising gold in four years’ time after defeating Sarah Hawkes of Northern Ireland in their women’s +78kg bronze bout.

Clareburt bags a bronze

Lewis Clareburt has added a bronze to his medal collection. Photo / Photosport

Lewis Clareburt’s quest for a third gold medal fell just short as he picked up a bronze to end his campaign.

The Kiwi finished third in the 200m individual medley final with Scotland’s Duncan Scott taking the gold ahead of Tom Dean of England.

18-year-old Erika Fairweather qualified fastest for the 400m freestyle final but couldn’t match world record holder Ariarne Titmus and young Canadian star Summer McIntosh in the final.

Fairweather battled Aussie Kiah Melverton for bronze, just missing out on the medals by 0.60 seconds in a time of 4:03.84. Fellow Kiwi Eve Thomas was seventh in 4:09.73.

To view a full list of every result by every Kiwi athlete and team, check out our full schedule and results.

Medals today:

Gold – Paul Coll – Men’s squash
Gold – Hamish Kerr – Men’s high jump
Gold – Sam Gaze – Men’s mountain bike
Silver – Ben Oliver – Men’s mountain bike
Silver – Kody Andrews – Judo – Men’s 100kg+
Silver – David Liti – Weightlifting – Men’s +109kg
Bronze – Sydnee Andrews – Judo – Women’s 78kg+
Bronze – Moira Koster – Judo – Women’s 78kg
Bronze – Lewis Clareburt – Swimming – Men’s 200 IM
Bronze – Maddi Wesche – Athletics – Women’s shot put

Vincent Worlters remembers the moment his dreams of being a professional musician were initially crushed.

“As a young man, I was being trained to be an opera singer, but life got in the way with the onset of my disability, which was quite profoundly disabling,” Mr Worlters said.

“And basically, it destroyed my opportunities to be a professional singer.”

Despite his diagnosis, Mr Worlters was determined music would remain a big part of his life.

“The only breath I got from my horrible illness was to grab my guitar and sing and then the symptoms would come to a stop.”

Man in a floral shirt and vest smiles at the camera with green and purple stage curtains in the background — Vincent Worlters did not realize his love of acting until he joined a disability theater group.(ABC Mid North Coast: Madeleine Cross)

A new inclusive arts program on the NSW mid-north coast has now given Mr Worlters a chance to live out his dreams on stage.

The Wauchope Regional Art Program, also known as WRAP, is designed to assist artists with disabilities to build their confidence and skills. It connects them with professional artists so they can participate in the mainstream industry.

Mr Worlters joined WRAP’s theater class, along with Steph Smith and Kirsty Georges.

“The acceptance is really quite beautiful,” he said.

“Groups like this give me an opportunity, whereas nothing else will.”

Two men sing together while sitting on a stage, two women dance in the background — The WRAP theater group rehearsed for weeks with mentor Ian Castle.(ABC Mid North Coast: Madeleine Cross)

The trio is mentored by singer and musician Ian Castle.

“It’s this collaborative effort building on the strengths they have as individuals and myself inspiring them to try other things,” Mr Castle said.

The theater group performed on stage at a mainstream arts festival in the region called ArtWalk in front of a crowd of spectators.

It was a dream come true for the close-knit team.

“When the audience gets behind you, your whole performance totally lifts to a whole new level,” Mr Worlters said.

“You can see it in their faces, or the cheers, and their claps. It’s really uplifting.”

Audience watches performers on stage as the sun sets behind them on a river — WRAP groups performed at Port Macquarie’s ArtWalk event, which attracts thousands of spectators.(ABC Mid North Coast: Madeleine Cross)

Kirsty Georges said her parents and family were “stoked” about the program and her performance.

“I feel it inside my chest. I feel happy,” she said.

And it is not just stage performers who have thrived in the inclusive program.

Artists celebrate inclusion

Creating visual art has always been a source of joy for Kerri Cains but, due to her intellectual disability, she often found it hard to be taken seriously.

“I’ve always had trouble with reading and writing and maths skills,” Ms Cains said.

“But it’s always been a passion of mine to do art.”

Lady in floral shirt stands in front of colorful art work. — Kerri Cains is over the moon to have her artwork on display at a local gallery.(ABC Mid North Coast: Madeleine Cross)

Ms Cains said she was over the moon to be involved in the Wauchope Regional Art Program and its workshops.

“It’s hard to find places sometimes that are so inclusive,” Ms Cains said.

“In this art class, in particular, we don’t feel like we’re just put on the side … it’s actual artists actually teaching you how to do it and they treat you like they would treat everybody else.”

Two women in floral shirts stand in an art gallery looking at pieces of art work on a table. — Graphic designer and mentor Michele Kaye worked with Kerri Cains to develop the WRAP logo.(ABC Mid North Coast: Madeleine Cross)

Thanks to WRAP, Ms Cains’ work has been displayed front and center at Wauchope Art Gallery as part of the ArtWalk event.

“I can show my family and my friends and everybody in town will see my artwork,” she said.

“It’s just good to see that disability and the arts are coming together in such an amazing way.”

Ms Cains was paired with and mentored by graphic designer Michele Kaye.

“It’s beautiful, its humbling, its real, it’s life. It’s what everyone should be seeing day by day,” Ms Kaye said.

Two women in floral shirts stand side by side and smile with artwork in the background — Michele Kaye says she loved every moment of mentoring Kerri Cains.(ABC Mid North Coast: Madeleine Cross)

Artists’ skills ‘skyrocket’

WRAP was established by the Wauchope Community Arts Council, through an NDIS Information, Linkages and Capacity Building Grant.

Project coordinator Vicky Mackey said WRAP was started due to a lack of similar services on the Mid North Coast.

“Even though we have a very busy arts community, they weren’t connecting with people with disabilities,” she said.

“Disabled artists were segregated.”

Woman in white and red costume performs on stage, under a blue light — WRAP theater group member Steph Smith performed a solo show on stage.(ABC Mid North Coast: Madeleine Cross)

Ms Mackey said it was fantastic the group had been given its first mainstream platform at ArtWalk.

“It’s the first time that a lot of them have got to perform in public,” she said.

“The growth in their confidence and just the way they hold themselves, the ability to communicate with strangers, it’s skyrocketed.”

Woman with blonde hair and green jacket smiles at the camera, with artwork behind her — WRAP project coordinator Vicky Mackey was inspired by her own daughter’s disability.(ABC Mid North Coast: Madeleine Cross)

Ms Mackey said she was inspired by her own daughter who has a disability.

“I always try to have the best for her, living the best life she can, and that’s what it’s all about — giving these guys an opportunity,” she said.

“In art, it’s not about being perfect or the best. It’s about the passion and the joy that the person can show in their artwork or their dance.

“It doesn’t have to be perfect and that’s great — life’s not perfect.”

Crowd of people watch performance with buildings and palm trees in the background — The WRAP performances attracted a large crowd at Port Macquarie’s ArtWalk event.(ABC Mid North Coast: Madeleine Cross)

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