Five highlights to look out for on day three of the Gold Coast 2018

The Olympics Sports team Abdul Rahim and Muhammad Sadiq Padela, Gold Coast Australia, Apr 6, 2018: Five highlights to look out for on day three of the Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games on Saturday 7 April (Sophie THORNHILL).

Golden one
Cycling track, from 13:30
Sophie THORNHILL (ENG) set a new world record in her first event at GC2018, the women’s B&VI sprint, and will be looking for more of the same in Saturday’s B&VI time trial (from 18.30).

But there will be no margin for error – with only three entrants in this event, only a gold medal will be awarded.

Sands of time
Beach volleyball, from 10.30
The first match of the day at Coolangatta Beachfront features the youngest beach volleyballer at the Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games up against the men’s pairing with the oldest combined age.

Seventeen-year-old Daynte STEWART (TTO) and partner Daneil WILLIAMS take on St Clair HODGE/Shawn SEABROOKES (SKN), whose combined age is 73.

African queens
Netball, from 13:00
The opening game between Uganda and Malawi is a shoot-out in more ways than one. Uganda goal shooter Peace PROSCOVIA scored 37 goals in her team’s tournament opener, a 64-51 defeat to New Zealand, while her Malawi rival, Mwai KUMWENDA, is well known to Australian fans for her match-winning ways with the Melbourne Vixens.

The result could also determine who finishes GC2018 as the top African nation.

Nile high
Artistic gymnastics, from 09:00
The top qualifying individual from the team competition, Nile WILSON (ENG), is clear favourite for gold.

Age 22, if he wins, it will be the third successive all-around Commonwealth Games title won by an Englishman, following Max WHITLOCK at Glasgow 2014 and Luke FOLWELL at Delhi 2010.

Lifting the load
Weightlifting, from 09.30
Defending champion in the 85kg class, Richard PATTERSON (NZL), will focus on himself as he goes for another gold.

The 34-year-old has been coaching his international teammates as well as competing in recent times, and New Zealand Weightlifting High Performance Manager Simon KENT feels that has compromised his results.

KENT says PATTERSON, who will be in action from 18:30, has been able to concentrate solely on his role as an athlete for GC2018 and will be back to his best on Saturday. —- GC2018