Cyclists, swimmers boosts NZ's medal haul

2:47 am on 7 October 2010

New Zealand's Commonwealth Games medal tally was boosted to six early on Thursday after success at the velodrome and in the pool.

Wellington's Gareth Kean won silver in the men's 200m backstroke at the Dr S.P.M Aquatics Complex in Delhi in a time of 1 minute 57.37 seconds.

England's James Goddard took the gold in 1 minute 55.58 seconds, while Ashley Delaney from Australia had to settle for bronze.

Kean's effort was particularly remarkable, considering he qualified last for the final with the slowest time in the heats.

The women's 4x200m freestyle relay team of Lauren Boyle, Penelope Marshall, Amaka Gessler and Natash Hind also won silver, taking two seconds off the national record.

The Australian team comfortably took out the gold.

Earlier, cyclists Lauren Ellis and Simon Van Velthooven won medals at the Indira Gandhi Sports Complex.

Ellis claimed silver in the women's 25km points race, finishing behind Australian gold medalist Megan Dunn and Canada's Tara Whitten who took the bronze.

Van Velthooven finished fourth in the men's keiran after being pipped in a sprint for the line, but was handed the bronze after Malaysia's Azizulhasni Awang was disqualified.

Awang crossed into path of Van Velthooven and illegally used his head against the New Zealander.

On Tuesday, Jesse Sergeant won silver in the 4000m individual pursuit, while sprinter Eddie Dawkins claimed bronze in the 1km men's time trial.