Rotorua's Amanda Landers-Murphy reflects on incredible year

Winning gold at the Commonwealth Games will no doubt be etched into her mind, but like most elite athletes Amanda Landers-Murphy is already focused on improving.

In fact, the Rotorua squash star didn't celebrate Christmas in her hometown as she had flown to England for a month-long stint of training.

In April, paired with New Zealand No 1 Joelle King in the women's squash doubles at the Commonwealth Games, Landers-Murphy's dreams came true when they defeated India's Dipika Pallikal Karthik and Joshna Chinappa in the gold-medal match. It was a real sign of the progress the pair had made since finishing fourth in Glasgow four years earlier.

"I'll be training in Bristol for a month, then I'll head to the US for a couple of months of tournaments. I've been working with a coach in Bristol, Hadrian Stiff, so that's the big drawcard over there," Landers-Murphy said.


"It was actually Joey [Joelle King] that got me over there in the first place. She thought it would be really good for me to be based over there and work with him. It will be a cold Christmas and bit lonely, but Joelle will be there which is good and you've got to do what you've got to do."

Despite her success this year, there are times she struggles with self-confidence.

"One of the biggest things Hadrian has given me a bit more confidence, it's still a work in progress. He's a good sounding board.

"In more recent years that self-confidence has been a hard grind at times, but I'm working through it and I'll see how it goes. Everyone's different and self-belief is just something that doesn't always come naturally to me."

Amanda Landers-Murphy and Joelle King celebrate a Commonwealth Games gold medal. Photo / Getty Images
Since the Games she has played in eight tournaments all over the world and sits 38th in the world rankings.

"There's no sort of standout results, it's certainly been up and down, but I had an off-season break over our winter which was quite good - I haven't done that for a few years and it gave me a good sort of base going into the next ones.
"I feel the improvements are there, I just need to apply them. I'd like to crack the top 20 in 2019, that would be a great achievement for me, but I have to take it one step at a time. You have to have a balance between having those long-term goals but not putting too much pressure on yourself - still going out there and enjoying it. That's when the results will come."

Meanwhile, she has enjoyed watching her doubles partner make massive strides in the sport. King is fourth in the world and won her maiden PSA Platinum title at the Hong Kong Open in November.

"She's going absolutely amazing, I'm so happy for her. Everyone has been waiting for it to happen for so long, it's always been there for her. She's always been capable of it, so it's awesome to see the first Platinum win under her belt and I'm sure there will be plenty to come."

This month, the pair were named as finalists for ISPS Handa Team of the Year at the 56th Halberg Awards.

"It's really cool, it's amazing that our achievements have been recognised and Joey is a Sportswoman of the Year finalist as well - I think she will go close to that, she's had an amazing year. There's some pretty good competition in the team category, especially the sevens girls, everyone who's there deserves to be there."