Many top Canadian athletes to skip CWG
August 5th, 2010 - 12:46 pm ICT by IANSBy Gurmukh Singh
Toronto, Aug 5 (IANS) Many top Canadian athletes have opted out of the Commonwealth Games as Canada announced a 40-member team for the Delhi mega event from Oct 6 to 12.
While many top athletes have decided to skip the Delhi Games to concentrate on their preparations for other major events, including the 2012 London Olympics, some have decided not to go to India for security or pollution reasons.
Among them is top hurdler Priscilla Lopes-Schliep - a bronze medalist at the 2008 Olympics and a silver at the 2009 worlds - who has decided not to go New Delhi because of concerns about security and pollution, according to the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation.
Other top athlete not going to India are 100-metre hurdle champion Perdita Felicien, 800-metre racer Gary Reed and top 10,000-metre runners Simon Bairu, Eric Gillis and Reid Coolsaet.
Canadian head coach Alex Gardiner said, “We are using the Commonwealth Games as an important benchmark for those athletes pursuing selection for the London Olympic Games.
“Results in Delhi will have a direct bearing on who we provide additional support for in the next two years leading to 2012.”
The Canadian contingent features world number one shot putter Dylan Armstrong, heptathlon champion Jessica Zelinka, 2006 Commonwealth Games silver medalist hurdler Angela Whyte, and 2006 bronze medalist wheelchair racer Diane Roy.
- Oz track and field athlete Pearson eyeing 'first title' at Delhi CWG - Oct 01, 2010
- CWG results: Day Six - Oct 10, 2010
- CWG athletics: Harminer springs a surprise, bags bronze (Roundup) - Oct 10, 2010
- Punjab players get cash rewards - Feb 05, 2011
- Six-time Olympian, family duos to lead Canadian shooters at 2010 CWG - Sep 16, 2010
- Two more Aussies skip Delhi CWG due to injury - Sep 30, 2010
- CWG: India win 31st gold, tally highest in Games (Evening Lead) - Oct 12, 2010
- Russians to get $130,000 for London Olympics gold - Feb 04, 2012
- CWG: Indian athletics, gold count soars to new high (Night Lead) - Oct 12, 2010
- CWG results: Day eight - Oct 12, 2010
- Over 3,100 athletes in Delhi for CWG - Sep 28, 2010
- Striving hard for a podium finish in London: Discus thrower Krishna Poonia (Interview) - May 13, 2012
- CWG 2010: India equals its best ever performance with 30 Gold medals on Day-8 - Oct 12, 2010
- India maintains slender edge from England for second place in CWG - Oct 09, 2010
- Discus results will inspire us to perform better at Guangzhou: Harwant - Oct 12, 2010
Tags: 2006 commonwealth games, 2008 olympics, 2012 london olympics, angela whyte, bronze medalist, canadian athletes, canadian broadcasting corporation, coach alex, dylan armstrong, gary reed, going to india, heptathlon, jessica zelinka, member team, olympic games, olympic games results, shot putter, silver medalist, simon bairu, wheelchair racer