Andrew Steele is a Great Britain international 400 metre runner. The twenty-six year old won the national 400m title in 2007 and competed at the Olympic Games in Beijing.
Unable to compete in India this month due to injury, Andrew takes a look at some of the medal hopefuls in Delhi, exclusively for intosport.com.
With the opening ceremony of the Commonwealth Games in the Delhi almost upon us, one could perhaps be forgiven for concentrating more on the mishaps, health hazards and safety fears we’ve heard so much about, rather than the sporting performances awaiting us.
Never before has a major championship suffered the level of negative press that Delhi 2010 has received in the recent months. In spite of this, how the championships are remembered in years to come will hopefully rest more on the performances we see on the track, field, court or pitch rather than the issues that have blighted the games so far.
I’ve been lucky enough to experience the games at their very best, both as a spectator in my hometown of Manchester in 2002, and firsthand as a competitor in 2006 in Melbourne. On both these occasions, the event was flawless, embodying the two main attributes upon which the Commonwealth Games prides itself – top class competition coupled with a relaxed and friendly atmosphere. Melbourne 2006 was my first taste of a competition at a major championship, and the atmosphere, crowds and organisation were absolutely all second to none. As such, I really hope that once these games are underway, the athletes are able to enjoy themselves and concentrate on the task in hand – winning medals.
As far as Track & Field goes, thanks to the time of year at which the championship falls, there have been a number of very high profile withdrawals from the games. Usain Bolt was an early absentee, and in the UK we have seen big names such as Jessica Ennis, Christine Ohuruogu and Philips Idowu among others declare themselves unavailable for a variety of reasons.
Never the less, Team England is however fielding what could prove to be a very strong team. Our main rival nations on the track and field, Australia, South Africa, Jamaica and Canada are sending somewhat weakened squads, and as such there is a great chance of a considerable medal haul.
Here are a few key athletes from Team England that I would recommend looking out for…
- In the sprints, Marlon Devonish, now 34 years old, has seen his fair share of major championships and shows no sign of slowing down. After narrowly missing out on a medal at the European Championships in Barcelona this year, I expect him to be a serious contender for the gold in the 200 metres in Delhi. When it comes to a major championship, experience can count for a lot and Marlon always performs well under pressure.
- Over the 110 metre hurdles, Andy Turner, fresh from an impressive victory in Barcelona, will be a major contender for gold. He will face some stiff competition from Ryan Braithwaite of Barbados, but Andy will be fighting hard to make this a double gold year.
- In the distance events, Chris Thompson is doubling up over both the 5000 and 10,000 metres and will have a great chance of doing the double. After many years of injury, he has had a great season in 2010 with silver at the Europeans, and Personal Best’s in both events.
- In the women’s 1500 metres, look out for Helen Clitheroe. Another veteran of the sport, at 36, Helen will be competing in her fourth Commonwealth Games!
- On the field, England has a very strong group of High Jumpers. Expect medals from at least two of the three selected - Martyn Bernard, Tom Parsons and Samson Oni - all stand a very strong chance of glory.
- Greg Rutherford, the British record holder in the Long Jump, missed out on the European Championships thanks to a foot injury, but with a PB in the 100 metres only a few weeks ago, and incredible potential in his main event, I expect him to make a huge impact in Delhi.
- The women’s pole vault will be closely contested, but England’s Kate Dennison, who seemingly can’t help but vault a British record every time she picks up a pole of late, will have her eyes firmly on the gold medal.
Whether the performances we witness in Delhi come from established veterans, or indeed from emerging new talent, I’m sure we’ll see some thrilling competition that will hopefully leave a lasting legacy for both Delhi and the Commonwealth Games itself.