25 star athletes missing from 2010 Commonwealth Games (Part 1)
The Delhi 2010 Commonwealth Games currently being held in India have attracted a lot of media attention but only for all the wrong reasons. Following the collapse of a pedestrian bridge near the main venue of the games that injured several workers, there
have also been growing concerns regarding the security threat looming over the heads of the organizers like a dark cloud. Many countries had earlier shown concern over the facilities as well as the security being provided with many athletes simply pulling
out of the mega event.
The 25 star athletes missing from these Commonwealth Games are:
1. Usain Bolt (Sprinter)
A Jamaican sprinter and a three time World and Olympic gold medallist. He holds the record of being the fastest in 100 metres and 200 metres along with 4 x 100 metres relay. Usain is the reigning world champion in the 100 metre sprint and surely his absence
will be missed by all sport lovers who would have looked forward to see him run during the Commonwealth Games.
2. Stephanie Rice (Swimmer)
The Australian swimmer holds the world record in 400m women’s individual medley and has also won three gold medals in Beijing Olympics. She was also the gold medallist in 200 metres individual medley at 2006 Commonwealth Games along with winning the 400m
individual medley during the same event. She was awarded the World Swimmer of the Year title in 2008 as well as the Pacific Rim Swimmer of the year.
3. Cadel Evans (Road race champion)
Cadel Evans is a professional racing cyclist for UCI Professional Continental team, BMC Racing. He is the reigning world road race champion, who also holds the record of being the first Australian to have won the UCI ProTour. Some of his other achievements
include making the highest number of finishes for an Australian in the Tour de France.
4. Andy Murray (Tennis Player)
Andy Murray is perhaps one of the best tennis players of all times and is currently ranked at No.4. He has clinched 15 career titles so far but has yet to win a grand slam. He succeeded in reaching two Grand Slam finals, the 2008 US Open and 2010 Australian
Open. However, he lost both times to the tennis great, Roger Federer. His absence from the Commonwealth Games will certainly be felt.
5. Dani Samuels (Discus thrower)
The Australian in 2009 became the youngest ever female world champion in discus throwing. She also won two bronze medals in 2005 World Youth Championship and 2006 Commonwealth Games at the tender age of seventeen. Dani reached the final of the Beijing Olympics.
6. Samantha Stosur (Tennis Player)
She is an Australian French Open finalist and a former world No. 1 on the WTA Tour in doubles with Lisa Raymond from the United States of America. Her notable wins are against many famous tennis stars like Ana Ivanovic, Jelena Jankovic, Serena Williams,
Dinara Safina, Lindsay Davinport, Amelie Mauresmo and Justin Henin. She is currently ranked World No. 8 in singles and No. 5 in doubles.
7. Victoria Pendleton (Track Cyclist)
Victoria Pendleton is a world champion track cyclist from Britain. Her father was also a British national grass track cycling champion. She won a silver medal at the 2006 Commonwealth Games in the 500m time trial and won gold medal in the sprint. She became
the third British woman in last 40 years to become a cycling world champion.
8. Shelly Ann Fraser (Sprinter)
Shelly Ann Fraser is the reigning world champion in 100 metres. She is also the second sprinter in the world to hold both World and Olympic 100m titles simultaneously. She is tied with Christine Arron as the fourth fastest woman in history regarding the
100 metres. She won a gold medal in Beijing Olympics and in 2009 also won a gold medal in the World Championships.
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