Hamill strikes silver at stadium

Southlander Jess Hamill got New Zealand’s Commonwealth Games track and field campaign off to a flying start when she won the silver medal in the F34 shot put this evening.


Hamill, 20, had a best throw this evening of 7.17m. Once her level of disability was taken into account this earned her 979 points and placed her second behind Australian Louise Ellery, who totalled 1110 points.


The New Zealander para athlete was comfortably ahead of third-placed Gemma Prescott of England, who finished with 952 points.


Hamill threw consistently, with five of her throws topping 7m, though none approached her personal best of 7.43m.


She said she was initially slightly disappointed not to have got near her personal best, but once the reality of the performance set in, she was delighted to have earned a silver medal.


Hamill won’t have long to celebrate. She heads home tomorrow and will begin building up to the world championships in New Zealand in January.