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Nick Miller keeps cool to claim hammer gold

Nick Miller keeps cool to claim hammer gold

Nick Miller so nearly lost his cool en route to retaining his Commonwealth hammer title.

The Scotby star fouled his first two attempts in the final and his first legal hurl of 69.04m placed him in the middle of the pack.

Miller eventually ripped a winning throw of 76.43m to beat Canada’s Ethan Katzberg to reach top step but not before admonishing himself for a shocking start.

He said: "It didn't really go all to plan but I'm Commonwealth champion again and we're just going to remember that bit - the rest was just gone!

"After the third round, I was like 'are you really going to be an idiot today? Are you really going to do it like this?' and then look up and see the support from everybody, took a corner and ended up winning.

"The crowd today was incredible. I was like 'wow this is a lot of energy' and I wasn't ready for that but Commonwealth champion, so over the moon.”

This summer, Team England, supported by funding raised by National Lottery players, comprises of over 400 athletes, all vying for medal success.

Victory on home soil was a strong response to Miller’s struggles at last month’s World Championships in Eugene where he placed 11th.

That represented a setback after he claimed a superb sixth at his second Olympics last summer in Tokyo.

Miller is now back on track and still has a European Championships in Munich to come in the closing stages of a bumper campaign.

“My season has been kind of crap so far, a lot of injury and illness. To come out here and win in front of my family – my little niece is here, which is lovely – it’s nice to have a positive outcome.

“Everyone has setbacks and you just have to try and get better with them. Me and my coach are in a good place now moving forward.

“I threw a little further on the Gold Coast but being at home and winning in front of a home crowd is really special.”

Miller was joined in the final by England team-mates Joseph Ellis who finished fourth and Craig Murch in eighth.

He said: “Joe did incredibly well today and Craig, top eight, he just had Covid. I’m really proud of the English guys and definitely moving in the right direction."

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