Jeremy Hayward wins his second Commonwealth Games gold medal as the Kookaburras make it seven straight

Territorian hockey player Jeremy Hayward has won back-to-back Commonwealth Games gold medals as the Hockeyroos walloped India in Birmingham.

TERRITORIAN hockey player Jeremy Hayward has pocketed his second Commonwealth Games gold medal in a dominant Kookaburra display, winning 7-0.

Australia’s men’s hockey team were far too good for India, collecting their seventh straight games gold medal, after leading 5-0 at half time at the University of Birmingham Hockey and Squash Centre.

And it was back-to-back golds for 29-year-old Hayward – a Waratah Hockey Club product – who earned his first at the Gold Coast in 2018.

Hayward scored his second Commonwealth Games gold medal. Picture: Clive Brunskill/Getty Images.

Waratah Hockey Club president Cath Holmes said the club was “extremely proud” of his achievements “thrilled” to have played a role in his development.

“Waratahs, along with other members of the Darwin Hockey League, have punched well above our weight to produce some of the finest hockey players the world has ever seen,” Holmes said in a statement.

Australia's Nathan Ephraums competes against India's Abhishek and Singh Hardik during the men's gold medal hockey match. Picture: Darren Staples.

“We extend our deepest congratulations to Jeremy and the rest of the Kookaburras on their stunning performance.”

Hayward, whose partner Brooke Peris also won gold in hockey at the 2014, joins a growing list of Territorians to win multiple gold medals at the Commonwealth Games.

Peris’ cousin, Nova, won gold on the track at the 1998 games in the 200m and the 4x100 relay.

The Kookaburras celebrate their seventh straight Commonwealth Games medal. Picture: Shaun Botterill/Getty Images.

However, at the top of the pile stands Katherine-born Liesel Jones who won 10, including the 100m and 200m breaststroke events, and the 4x100m medley, at three consecutive games, from 2002 to 2010.

Also in the pool, Nhulunbuy’s Geoff Huegill won seven Commonwealth gold, including an amazing comeback in Dehli in 2010, where he claimed the 50m and 100m butterfly.

Liesel Jones won 10 Commonwealth Games gold medals. Picture: Gregg Porteous.

Darwin’s Danni Miatke also won the 50m butterfly at the 2006 games in Melbourne.

In cycling, Graeme Brown, also born in Darwin, won the team pursuit and the scratch race at the 2002 Manchester games.

Katherine-born Cadel Evans also won gold at the 2002 games in the individual time trial.

Territory cop Mark Malogorski set to roll at the Commonwealth Games

HE’S a proud lawn bowling Territorian who will represent Malta at the Commonwealth Games — but his number one priority remains the NT Police.

Meet 52-year-old veteran policeman Mark Malogorski, who will bowl for his mother’s native country from Tuesday at his first ever games, 15 years after first taking up the sport.

The bowling bug was caught in 2007 after winning silver at the World Police Games in the pairs.

And Malogorski’s UK debut caps off a strong career so far, winning a silver medal in the fours at the Australian Senior Sides Championships in 2019, representing the NT in 66 interstate matches while collecting 18 Northern Territory Championship titles.

However, Malogorski’s Maltese involvement began at an Australian Open, where he was introduced to the manager of the Malta Lawn Bowls Association.

Mark Malogorski and Sez James, after being crowned 2021 NT single champions. Picture: Bowls NT

After later becoming a Maltese citizen, the head of the Serious Crime Squad won a bronze medal for the country at the Atlantic Championships in Wales in 2019.

Detective Senior Sergeant Malogorski also won the country’s MVP at the Multi-Nations event in Broadbeach, that same year.

He said it was “very exciting” he could test his talent against international players in Birmingham.

“It is awesome beating the big bowling nations for such a small country,” Malogorski said, who rolls for Nightcliff and is a committee member.

Tony Sullivan with Malogorski after winning a pairs championship.

Fortunately, NT Police, where he has worked for nearly 30 years, has given him a degree of flexibility to pursue his passions, training up to five times a week in the lead up to the games.

“It is difficult taking time off to play bowls but my first commitment is the NT Police,” he said.

“I need to plan ahead to arrange time off.”

Malogorski will compete in the fours from Tuesday.

Territorian Rhys Dowling to compete at the Commonwealth Games

FOR Territorian squash sensation Rhys Dowling, the court has been his second home after learning to walk, talk, and play at his parents’ Darwin Squash Centre.

So when the 27-year-old was told he would be representing Australia at the Commonwealth Games for the first time, there were “a couple tears of joy.”

“It was such a surreal experience when I found out,” Dowling said.

“Squash is all I have really known. It was my childhood so getting selected to represent the country is just unbelievable.”

Dowling revealed he had received his selection news a month prior to the official games announcement, and was sworn to secrecy, but admitted he let the news slip to a few loved ones.

“I had to tell my parents and my girlfriend, I just couldn’t keep my mouth shut,” he said.

“My mum was first to hear the news, I think I would have been in a bit of trouble if I had told anyone else first.

“As soon as they heard we all burst into tears. My parents were very proud.”

Rhys Dowling is one of two athletes representing the NT and Australia at the 2022 Commonwealth Games. Picture: Rhys Dowling.

The former Darwin High School student will be competing in both the men’s doubles and singles in Birmingham when he takes on Jason Doyle from Saint Vincent and the Grenadines from 8.30pm NT time.

It comes as Dowling took home the men’s title at the Australian Doubles Open in January this year – his first senior title – and said he hopes to continue that momentum into this weekend.

“I haven‘t played with my doubles partner Cameron Pilley before,” he said.

“But it is good experience jumping on board with him, he has won plenty of gold medals previously.

“It’s my debut games so I don’t have much to lose. So hopefully I can just play my best squash when it counts.”

Zac Alexander and David Palmer brought home the gold in the men’s doubles at the Gold Coast Commonwealth Games in 2018 and Dowling revealed there were a few gifts which have helped him focus on bringing home the back-to-back title for Australia.

Some of the artwork given to Dowling leading up to the games. Picture: Rhy Dowling

“Something that has really helped me mentally since getting here are these pictures that Commonwealth Games Australia arranged for us,” he said.

“They got loads of primary school kids across the country to draw some portraits and well wishes which is the cutest thing ever.

“As soon as I saw them I knew they had to go in my room. They make me smile whenever I look at them and help me think about where I have come from and where I am today.

“I think they captured my likeness pretty well. I’ll be framing them when I get home for sure.”

Territorian hockey star out to claim back-to-back Commonwealth gold

A TERRITORIAN hockey player will be out to claim his fourth major career victory when the Kookaburras’ Commonwealth Games campaign starts on Sunday against Scotland in Birmingham.

Jeremy Hayward will be representing the NT at his second games, after being part of the squad which claimed gold in 2018 on the Gold Coast.

Hayward, who burst onto the scene in 2014 when he scored in his second game for Australia in Malaysia, also won gold the following year after the Aussies clinched the World League final in Raipur, India, before backing it up with a successful 2016 Champions Trophy.

The 29-year-old, partner of fellow Territorian hockey player Brooke Peris, said it was always a career highlight to represent his country and “the people back home in the Northern Territory”.

“Any tournament I go to, it’s an extremely proud moment,” Hayward told the NT News from Birmingham, who has 71 goals from 170 international caps.

Hayward and the Kookaburras drew a two-game warm up series with the Netherlands recently, following previous matches against Malaysia and New Zealand, post-Olympics.

“You learn more with a loss, you look more thoroughly at things you could have done better, so we’ll sharpen up coming into our first match,” Hayward said, who also played in the 2014 World Cup-winning team where he was named best young player of the tournament.

Despite winning Commonwealth gold four years ago, Hayward’s motivation has not dimmed, effectively arriving in the UK with a “new group” of players.

“This group hasn’t won any Commonwealth Games gold so we have things to prove to other nations competing here,” he said.

“It’s going to be a tough competition so we need to be on our game.”

The Territory’s other games representative will be squash sensation Rhys Dowling, fresh off winning the men’s title at the Australian Doubles Open.

Dowling, whose highest world ranking was 93 in 2018, will partner Cameron Pilley in the men’s doubles in Birmingham and will also compete in the men’s singles.

The Queensland-based Territorian, who went to Darwin High School, won the Australian Open in February last year – his first senior title – and recently came ninth in the World Doubles in Glasgow.

Originally published as Jeremy Hayward wins his second Commonwealth Games gold medal as the Kookaburras make it seven straight