Joelle King (left) and Amanda Landers-Murphy of New Zealand at the ceremony after winning the women's doubles final in squash. Photo / Photosport
Joelle King (left) and Amanda Landers-Murphy of New Zealand at the ceremony after winning the women's doubles final in squash. Photo / Photosport
An outpouring of praise has been heaped upon Rotorua's Amanda Landers-Murphy after she won gold in the women's doubles squash final along with her partner Joelle King.
Landers-Murphy and King - from Cambridge - triumphed over Sarah-Jane Perry and Alison Waters winning New Zealand's 20th gold medal at the 2022Birmingham Commonwealth Games and in doing so defended their 2018 Gold Coast Commonwealth Games title.
The NZ Herald reported that King and Landers-Murphy's victory meant King had equalled Rachael Grinham's record as the most decorated female squash player in Commonwealth Games history.
King has also become only the second Kiwi after athletics great Valerie Young to win five Commonwealth Games gold medals.
King, who alongside this year's men's singles champion Paul Coll won a mixed doubles gold only 16 hours before she played the women's doubles, had to convince Landers-Murphy to come out of retirement after the 2018 Games.
Landers-Murphy said it had been a pretty challenging lead-up to the 2022 games but the chance to try and repeat their 2018 success with her close friend was something she couldn't turn down.
Joelle King and Amanda Landers-Murphy celebrate winning gold in the women's squash doubles gold medal match against England's Sarah-Jane Perry and Alison Waters. Photo / PA via AP
It was a decision, that paid dividends for the best mates who know each other's game really well after also winning back-to-back world double championships in 2016 and 2017.
King paid tribute to her doubles partner, pointing out that unlike herself, Landers-Murphy has work and study commitments back home.
"I'm extremely proud of her, she had unfinished business and she's done it."
Landers-Murphy, 31, an environmental forester at Timberlands, earlier said that winning a gold medal in 2018 had been a dream of hers, and adding another to her trophy cabinet was "even more satisfying than the first time."
"There is so much more going on in my life now, and it was a really hard road to get here, but I had Joey there the whole time so it was all worth it."
She and King planned to celebrate their success with a bit of a holiday together in Portugal.
Geyser City Squash Club secretary Robyn Hall.
Geyser City Racquet and Squash Club secretary Robyn Hall said she and the rest of the club members were "buzzing" about Landers-Murphy's success in Birmingham.
"It was an incredible game and we are so excited and thrilled for Amanda and Joelle, they were just unstoppable. I couldn't be prouder of Amanda who despite not having played with Joelle for several years was so focused and composed under pressure on the court."
Hall said she believed the amazing success of the pair and King also winning gold with Paul Coll in the mixed doubles, would inspire more young women from all cultures to want to take up the sport.
"Amanda and Joelle are fantastic role models for the sport and it's really exciting for our junior players to see Amanda back on the court practising and competing at this level.
"Amanda is an incredible player and such as lovely person and it was beautiful to watch her and Joelle coming together again and walk off the court with well-deserved gold medals."
"Being a member of our club makes Amanda's golden moment even more special to us and we cannot wait to welcome her home. I really hope this win encourages Amanda to want to keep on going at the top level."
Hall said the Kiwi squash team's success in Birmingham would help to raise the profile of squash across the country and hopefully encourage many others to want to participate in the sport at all levels.
Former World Squash champion Dame Susan Devoy.
Four times world champion squash player Dame Susan Devoy who dominated the sport in the 1980s and early 1990s said: "Joelle came back strong in the doubles despite the disappointment of not medalling in the singles. That showed real character.
"The success of winning the women's doubles gold was the team dynamic whilst Amanda was not on the pro-circuit anymore, she undoubtedly is one of the best doubles players in the world and it showed. Amanda is solid and reliable, especially under pressure.
"It's an amazing achievement given Joelle has played every day of the games and to win two golds with the mixed and the women's titles is outstanding. It's a huge achievement and a very golden time for Squash NZ and we are all immensely proud."
Squash New Zealand chief executive Martin Dowson.
Squash New Zealand chief executive Martin Dowson said: "We are just thrilled for Amanda and Joelle. I'm feeling a bit sleep deprived at the moment but it was just really exciting to watch them beat the English pair in straight games."
Dowson said the pair's win would inspire more women to take up squash.
"The success of the Kiwi players in Birmingham has really been a team effort, including those working behind the scenes. Amanda and Joelle and Paul Coll have been amazing role models for the sport for many years and they richly deserve their gold medals.
"Squash New Zealand is looking forward to seeing the benefits of their amazing achievements in Birmingham."
Dowson said what was even more amazing was despite not playing together for some time King and Landers-Murphy were able to come together at Commonwealth Games.
"The English, Scots and Wales players get to play together all the time but our Kiwi players who are scattered around the world don't get the same opportunity and that makes Amanda and Joelle's win every more amazing."
In a written statement from Timberlands Limited, a spokesman for the company said: "Timberlands are thrilled and immensely proud of Amanda's gold medal. Her win has become the talk of our company. We even had a replay playing in our lunch room today.
"Amanda's win was no surprise as she displays her motivation, dedication and skills in her job and we were all confident of success at the games – ka mau te wehi Amanda."
