Another night of gold has materialised at the Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games for Griffith students Emma McKeon and Stephanie Morton.
Public Health student Emma (below) showed her class in the final of the Women’s 100m Butterfly when she led home Griffith Swim Club teammate and silver medalist Madeline Groves at the Optus Aquatic Pool.
Bachelor of Criminology and Criminal Justice student Stephanie was scintillating throughout the day at the Anna Meares Velodrome, ultimately coming away with her second gold of the Games when she overcame New Zealand’s Natasha Hansen in the final of the Women’s Individual Sprint.
There was also gold for Cameron McEvoy, a Bachelor of Science (Advanced Honours) student in the Men’s 4 x 100m Freestyle relay where he swam the third leg of the final. In the heats, alumnus Sam Seghers represented Papua New Guinea when they finished fifth.
Commerce student Leiston Pickett missed out in her bid for three golds at three successive Commonwealth Games in the Women’s 50m Breaststroke Final, but she did not come away empty-handed taking out the bronze medal. Public Health student Georgia Bohl finished in sixth place.
Their efforts take the Team Griffith medal tally to six gold, one silver and two bronze after two days of competition.
There was disappointment for Griffith Swim Club’s Grant Irvine in the final of the Men’s 50m Butterfly when he touched the line in fourth place behind winner Chad de Clos.
Surging performance
After the excitement of a relay world record on the first night, Business student Shayna Jack continued to go from strength to strength as she surged into tonight’s final of the Women’s 50m Freestyle. However, Bachelor of Software Engineering student Liam Hunter just missed out on a final berth when finishing fifth in the Men’s 100m Breaststroke semi-final.
Other Team Griffith athletes in action yesterday included Master of Financial Planning student Jesse Wagstaf who lined out for the Boomers in Australia’s 95-55 win over Canada in Pool A of the basketball competition.
Journalism graduate Kelsey Cottrell and Business graduate Jake Fehlberg (left) maintained their efforts in the Lawn Bowls at Broadbeach. Kelsey helped Australia to a 15-9 win over Cook Island and a 23-9 success over Namibia in the Women’s Fours. Jake was part of a stirring fightback by Australia against England in the Mixed Pairs (vision impaired), only to fall short by 17-16.
There were strong showings but no medals for Team Griffith weightlifters at Carrara Sports Arena. Alumnus Tegan Napper finished in eighth place in the 53kg category, while Business graduate Brandon Wakeling came in seventh in the 69kg.
Today at the Games
Grant Irvine will attempt to put the disappointment of last night behind him as he goes again in first heat of the Men’s 200m Butterfly (10.31am) with tonight’s final in his sights. Georgia Bohl will do likewise in the Women’s 200m Breaststroke (10.40am) where she also swims in the first heat.
Madeline Groves will try to qualify for the semi-finals of the Women’s 50m Butterfly. She goes in heat three at 11.31am.
Cameron McEvoy swings into individual action today in the heats of the Men’s 100m Freestyle. The Olympic star goes in heat seven (11.52) with Sam Seghers swimming in the same event in the fifth heat. The final of the Women’s 4 x 200m Freestyle will round out the night in the pool.
Trying again
Elsewhere at GC2018, there are three members of the Griffith family in triathlon action today with 20-year-old Sara Tait (pictured above) leading the way in the final of the Women’s Para Triathlon at 9.31am. Then, in the Mixed Team Triathlon Relay Final, Ashleigh Gentle (right) and Matt Hauser return to the fray after their strong showings in the individual races on Thursday (1.01pm).
In hockey Jordyn Holzberger is back in action for Australia who take on Ghana (9.30pm) in Group B, hoping to build on their opening victory over Canada.
In cycling in the Women’s 500m Time Trial, Stephanie Morton is the seventh cyclist into the Anna Meares Velodrome at 8pm tonight.
And in lawn bowls there’s more action for Kelsey Cottrell and Jake Fehlberg with Australia taking on Malaysia in the Women’s Fours before quarter-finals start in the afternoon. In the Mixed Pairs (vision impaired), Australia face New Zealand in round three.
Team Griffith
Current Students: Matthew Hauser (triathlon), Madison de Rozario (wheelchair athletics), Domonic Bedggood (diving), Tejaswinin Williamson (diving), Jesse Wagstaf (basketball), Brandon Wakeling (weightlifting), Stephanie Morton (cycling), Sara Tait (para triathlon), Jessica Ashwood (swimming), Georgia Bohl (swimming), Shayna Jack (swimming), Cameron McEvoy (swimming), Emma McKeon (swimming), Kiah Melverton (swimming), Leiston Pickett (swimming), Zac Stubblety-Cook (swimming), Matthew Denny (athletics), Riley Day (athletics), Liam Hunter (swimming), Skye Nicolson (boxing), John Lane (decathlon), Kelsey Cottrell (lawn bowls), Paul Adams (shooting), Georgina Friedrichs (rugby sevens).
Alumni: Michael Shelley (marathon), Shannon Parry (rugby sevens), Ash Gentle (triathlon), Deborah Acason (weightlifting), Katrin Garfoot (cycling), Chloe Hosking (cycling), Jake Fehlberg (lawn bowls, vision impaired), Tegan Napper (weightlifting), Murray Goodwin (athletics), Jordyn Holzberger (hockey), Sam Seghers (swimming), Michael Hosking (athletics).
Staff: Andrea Hams (weightlifting), Michael Bohl (swimming, coach).
Griffith Swimming Club: Madeline Groves, Grant Irvine, David McKeon.