Thaindian News

New Delhi, Oct.3 (ANI): Ahead of the XIX Commonwealth Games 2010, head coach of the New Zealand cycling team Tim Carswell said on Sunday that the athletes have trained themselves with a totally refreshed approach, coming off a bronze medal win at the Beijing Olympics 2008.

“There has been a big change for the programme since the Olympic Games. In Olympics we had nine athletes, this time we have got 19 here. So, big difference in numbers, but the whole programme is stepped up and we have got a lot more depth,” said Carswell.

“I think it’s not unusual for the athletes to be expecting to go into the competition to win events now, which is certainly the way we are approaching this competition as well,” he added.

Carswell also praised the spruced up work at the Games village.

“Yes. It’s been fantastic. No problems at all. So, obviously they have done a lot of hardwork, as you can see, from behind the scenes before we arrived, but I have been to a lot of games and we don’t expect the accommodation to be luxurious or anything like that but certainly what we expect it to be,” he said.

Meanwhile, 22-year-old Jesse Sergent, who was the bronze medalist at the Beijing Olympics in the Men’s Team Pursuit event, categorized the cycling tracks in Delhi as one of the best in the world.

Sergent is expected to participate in the 4,000 meters Individual Pursuit and 4,000 meters Team Pursuit events during the Delhi Games.

“Yes, it is up there with the rest of the tracks in the world. It is definitely a nice, fast, track and yes, like I said, it is up there with the best tracks in the world,” said Sergent.

The cycling new velodrome at the Indira Gandhi Stadium Complex has been constructed at a cost of 1.5 billion rupees to suit the latest international requirements of track events for the Commonwealth Games.

It is fully covered, air-conditioned and has a 250-metre long timber track with a seating capacity of 3,800.

The entire stadium with its unique structural system, unique geometry of seating bowl, state-of-the-art electrical and mechanical services and marvelous architectural features, was constructed in a record time of 17 months.

Apart from 10,000 athletes from 71 teams representing 54 Commonwealth member states, India is expecting huge inflow of spectators and tourists during this mega event.

The 2010 Commonwealth Games will be held from October 3 to 14 in Delhi. (ANI)