New Zealand has won its first gold medal at the Glasgow Commonwealth Games.
Sam Webster, Ethan Mitchell and Eddie Dawkins celebrate after winning gold in the Men's Team Sprint. Photo: PHOTOSPORT
The New Zealand sprint cycling team of Ethan Mitchell, Eddie Dawkins and Sam Webster won their final at the velodrome, beating England by half a second.
Sam Webster says the team was happy with the way it dealt with the pressure when England delayed the start.
He says the false start stopped the countdown with eight seconds to go, they've practised that in training and the way they dealt with those external pressures that they can't control is something they're really proud of.
Coach Anthony Peden says he couldn't have asked for more, they came in knowing they've done everything they could and they were prepared.
New Zealand qualified quickest, almost a half a second faster than England, and repeated the effort in the final.
The trio recorded a Commonwealth Games record time, and add the title to the world title they won in Colombia earlier this year.
Pursuit team takes bronze
Earlier the men's pursuit team picked up New Zealand's first medal of the Games, a bronze.
Shane Archbold, Dylan Kennett, Marc Ryan and Pieter Bulling comfortably beat Canada in the ride-off for third. Australia beat England for the gold medal with a games record time.
The New Zealanders caught their opponents just halfway through the four-kilometre ride.
However it was a disappointing result for the team, who were targeting a place in the final after picking up a world championship bronze medal earlier this year behind Australia and Denmark.
Stephanie McKenzie finished fourth in the women's 500 metre time trial.
Judo medal win
Darcina Manuel of New Zealand competes in the Womens -57kg Judo Quarter-finals. Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games. Photo: Photosport
In another medal win for New Zealand, Gisborne's Darcina Manuel took bronze in the 57-kilo judo category. Manuel fought back strongly to force her Canadian opponent Jessica Klimkait into submission late in the bout. The gold medal was won by Nekoda Davis of England.
New Zealand has 11 judokas at the Games and Manuel had been ranked No. 1 in the Commonwealth.
Meanwhile, swimmer Lauren Boyle narrowly missed out on a bronze medal, finishing fourth in the 200 metres freestyle final.
Triathlete Andrea Hewitt also just missed out on a medal, finishing fourth after being in the lead group until the end of the run.
