9 Feb 2018

Robertson brothers added to Games team

2:55 pm on 9 February 2018

The Africa-based brothers Jake and Zane Robertson have been added to the athletics team for April's Commonwealth Games on the Gold Coast.

Gold Coast will be the second Commonwealth Games for the pair, having bopth competed at the 2014 Glasgow Commonwealth Games, where Zane won a bronze medal in the men's 5000m and Jake finished ninth after being involved in a fall with fellow New Zealander Nick Willis in the final laps of the race.

New Zealand's Zane Robertson celebrates after winning the bronze medal in the Men's 5000 metres at the Glasgow Commonwealth Games.

New Zealand's Zane Robertson celebrates after winning the bronze medal in the Men's 5000 metres at the Glasgow Commonwealth Games. Photo: Photosport

Originally from Hamilton the brothers spend most of their living and training in either Kenya or Ethiopia.

Jake and Zane have both been selected for the 10,000m. Zane also has the option of contesting the marathon.

Zane represented New Zealand at the 2016 Rio Olympic Games where he placed twelfth in the 10,000m, setting a New Zealand record of 27:33.67.

He also holds the New Zealand half marathon record of 59:47.

Jake most recently won the Houston Half Marathon in January with a winning time of 60:01, the same time that won him the Lisbon Half Marathon ten months earlier.

He has a best time of 27:45.46 for 10,000m.

New Zealand will send an 18 strong athletics contingent to Australia.

-RNZ