13 European medallists are Delhi-bound

Double European gold medallist Mo Farah alongside defending triple jump and women’s, 1500m and 400m Commonwealth champions Phillips Idowu, Lisa Dobriskey and Christine Ohuruogu head a list of 100 athletes named today in England’s team for the Commonwealth Games in Delhi from October 3-14.
Idowu and Farah, who recently broke the 28 year-old British 5000m record, are amongst 13 medallists from the recent European Championships in Barcelona, Spain, who join a new medal campaign in the Indian capital, just two months after helping to record the best ever medal tally of 19 medals for GB&NI.

They lead the team towards their final international outing of the 2010 season, a competition which will play an important role on the pathway to the 2011 World Championships in Daegu, Korea and 2012 London Olympic Games.

Farah said: “I’m really looking forward to the Commonwealth Games in Delhi. After an amazing season, two gold medals in the European Championships and a new British 5000m record, I hope to finish a fantastic summer season with another good performance in India.”

Marlon Devonish, Andy Turner, Chris Tomlinson and Goldie Sayers add further experience to the team with eight previous Games to their accumulative career credits, while Andy Baddeley, Chris Thompson and William Sharman present new medal opportunities.

Recently crowned European110m hurdles champion Turner said: “I’m extremely happy about my Commonwealth Games selection, it’s been a great season so far and I look to go to India and win another gold medal. The Commonwealth Games in Melbourne was a fantastic competition so I’m very excited to finish my season- hopefully on a high- in Delhi.”

After losing their 2010 season to injury, Ohuruogu and British long jump record holder Greg Rutherford will return to international competition in New Delhi. Eager to return to action after watching their teammates on the athletics circuit, they have the advantage of fresh legs and hunger for competition which could lead them to the rostrum.

Craig Hunter Chef de Mission for England in Delhi said: “I’m delighted to welcome such a strong group of track and field athletes into the England team for Delhi and look forward to their performances there – especially after such a stunning European Championships. I wish them every success in their final preparations for the Games and when they are in Delhi.”
Commonwealth Games England Athletics Team Leader John Brierley added: “We are confident that we have assembled an accomplished athletics team which is well- balanced, extremely competitive and comprises an exciting blend of experience with the talent of youth.”

Widely recognised for facilitating breakthrough performances - such as those in 2006 for Ohuruogu, Lisa Dobriskey, Idowu and Martyn Bernard - the Commonwealth Games is an important development opportunity as well as a major Championships medal in its own right.

Historically, athletes like Denise Lewis, Daley Thompson, Dame Kelly Holmes – now President of Commonwealth Games England -  and Jessica Ennis have made their name at the Commonwealth Games before moving on to win at the Olympics or world championships.

Talented youngsters named in the team for the 2010 campaign are 2009 European Junior 110m hurdles gold medallist Lawrence Clarke, recent World Junior triple jump silver medallist Laura Samuel and young middle distance talent Niall Brooks, the 2009 European Junior 800m silver medallist who narrowly missed out on a podium place in the recent World Juniors finishing fourth in a lifetime best performance.

Three times Paralympic medallist Dan West is joined by Beijing Paralympians Katrina Hart and Gemma Prescott, all on the road to the IPC Athletics World Championships in January 2011.
England won six gold, four silver and eight bronze medals at the Melbourne 2006 Commonwealth Games, with Christine Ohuruogu (400m), Kelly Sotherton (heptathlon), Lisa Dobriskey (1500m), Phillips Idowu (triple jump), Dean Macey (decathlon) and Nick Nieland (javelin) bringing home titles.

The performance in Melbourne took the England team through the 500 athletics medals mark. English athletes have won 177 golds, 173 silvers and 157 bronzes to top the all-time medal table.

There are 46 athletics events taking place at the Delhi Games – including track and field events, marathon, 20km walks and disability events.

Athletics makes its 19th Commonwealth Games appearance in Delhi – it has featured at every Games to date.
 
For further information about England’s Commonwealth Games Team please contact the Commonwealth Games England press  office at Matchtight Ltd on (01225) 443 998 or 07831 755351 or see the CGE’s  website at www.weareengland.org <http://www.weareengland.org <http://www.weareengland.org> >
 
England’s Athletes for Commonwealth Games by event
MEN
100m: Mark Lewis-Francis
 
100m (T46): Ola Abidogun
 
200m: Leon Baptiste, Marlon Devonish, Jeffrey Lawal Balogun
 
400m: Richard Buck, Robert Tobin, Conrad Williams
 
800m: Niall Brooks, Andrew Osagie, Darren St Clair
 
1500m: Andy Baddeley, Tom Lancashire, Colin McCourt
 
5000m: Mo Farah, Chris Thompson
 
10000m: Mo Farah, Chris Thompson, Andrew Vernon
 
Marathon: Andi Jones, Ben Moreau
 
3000m sc:  Luke Gunn, Stuart Stokes
 
110mH: Lawrence Clarke, William Sharman, Andy Turner
 
400mH: David Hughes, Nathan Woodward, Richard Yates
 
20k Race Walk: Thomas Bosworth, Luke Finch, Alex Wright
 
High Jump:  Martyn Bernard, Samson Oni, Tom Parsons
 
Long Jump: Greg Rutherford, Chris Tomlinson
 
Triple Jump: Larry Achike, Nathan Douglas, Phillips Idowu
 
Pole Vault: Luke Cutts, Max Eaves, Steve Lewis

Shot:  Mark Edwards, Carl Myerscough, Scott Rider
 
Shot F32/34/52: Daniel West
 
Discus: Carl Myerscough, Chris Scott, Emeka Udechuku
 
Hammer: Mike Floyd, Matthew Lambley, Alex Smith,
 
Decathlon:  Martin Brockman, Ben Hazell, Kevin Sempers
 
4x100m: Leon Baptiste, Marlon Devonish Jeffery Lawal Balogun, Mark Lewis- Francis, Ryan Scott, Andy Turner
 
4x400m: Richard Buck, Graham Hedman, Darren St Clair, Rob Tobin, Conrad Williams,  
 

 
WOMEN
 
100m: Montell Douglas, Katherine Endacott, Laura Turner
 
100m T37: