With yesterday marking 150 days to go to the Games, two more track and field athletes have been added to the Commonwealth Games England team for the championships in Delhi.
 
Andi Jones (Salford Harriers) and Helen Decker (Ipswich Jaffa) have been selected following their performances in the Virgin London Marathon. Andi, who is coached by Bob Merrell, finished in 10th place overall at London in 2:16:38 and was first the English male athlete over the line. His performance was inside the guideline time of 2:18:00 and secured his recommendation for selection by England Athletics. This recommendation was ratified by Commonwealth Games England.
 
Andi’s performance at London also saw him win the England Athletics Marathon title, having won the England Athletics Half Marathon title at Wilmslow in March.
 
Helen, who is coached by Clive Sparkes, ran 2.36:56 at London, inside the 2:38:00 standard and finished as the second English athlete behind Mara Yamauchi, the Commonwealth 10,000m bronze medallist. With Mara having decided not to run marathons at major championships this year Helen secured the nomination which was then ratified by Commonwealth Games England. Helen’s run lowered her personal best which was set in her previous marathon – representing England at the Toronto Waterfront Marathon last September.
 
Commenting on his selection Andi said, “I am very pleased to have been selected to represent England in the Marathon at the forthcoming Commonwealth Games.
“This has been my aim for a long time and I am going to build upon the training I have done for the London Marathon in my preparations for the Commonwealth Games.
“The opportunity to race in New Delhi is an amazing one and I am looking forward to being competitive in the event.”
 
Craig Hunter, Chef de Mission for England’s team at the Games said: “We welcome Andi and Helen into the team and wish them every success in their on-going preparations for Delhi”.
 
England Athletics Team Leader John Brierley said, “We look forward to seeing Andi and Helen competing in Delhi. The marathon was a good event for us in the last Commonwealth Games with medals in both the men’s and women’s event.
“Andi has experienced international competition on and off-road, and it is good that Helen has already tasted competing for her country in the Toronto Marathon last year.
“We know that they and their coaches will be planning ahead to ensure more strong performances, and we look forward to adding more athletes to the team for this event later this summer.”
 
 
The 2010 Commonwealth Games take place in Delhi, India, from 3 to 14 October 2010. They will feature 17 sports - archery, aquatics (swimming, synchronised swimming & diving), athletics, badminton, boxing, cycling, gymnastics, hockey, lawn bowls, netball, rugby 7s, shooting, squash, table tennis, tennis, weightlifting and wrestling. With the 2012 Olympic Games in London and the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, Commonwealth Games England is entering a breath-taking four years of sport.

Commonwealth Games England (GCE) is the organisation responsible for selecting and organising England's team at the Commonwealth Games.



England finished second to Australia on the overall medal table at the Melbourne 2006 Commonwealth Games with 36 golds, 40 silvers and 34 bronzes.
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