CWG track and field: who's in, who's out
The Commonwealth Games’ track and field events are set to begin Wednesday in Delhi, and with the absence of many top athletes, many of the 52 gold medals are up for grabs.
The most prestigious of all track and field events, the 100m, is missing a slew of its top performers. Jamaicans, Asafa Powell and the world’s fastest man, Usain Bolt are both missing the Games because of injury. Daniel Bailey of Antigua has recently dropped
out of the competition, and American Tyson g*y is another high profile athlete not competing in Delhi.
Still participating in the 100m is Mark Lewis-Francis of England, who has yet to break the 10 second barrier in the event. Still, Lewis-Francis is now one of the favourites to win the 100m.
"I'm in really good shape now and running the fastest I have this year, so hopefully I can get out there and perform," said Lewis-Francis.
The absence of 800m world record holder David Rudisha of Kenya, and Janeth Jepkosgei, another 800m runner from Kenya, opens the door for other athletes to win gold in the men’s and women’s 800m.
Caster Semenya of South Africa was expected to race in the 800m in Delhi, but was forced out of the Games last week because of a nagging back injury.
Mo Farah won gold in both the 10,000m and the 5000m at the European Championships earlier this year, but he too will not compete.
England has seen many of their top athletes withdraw from the Games. Paula Radcliffe, world record holder in the marathon, gave birth last month, and Jessica Ennis, who is the world heptathlon champion, will also not attend the Games.
Two English athletes decided to not make the trip to Delhi because of concerns for their health and safety: Christine Ohuruogu, who won gold at the Beijing Olympics in the 400m, and world triple jump champion Phillips Idowu.
Also not competing because of safety concerns is world discus champion Dani Samuels of Australia.
Still, not all top athletes have opted out of participating at the Games. Steve Hooker, world pole vault champion from Australia is still attending the Games, and Englishman Andy Turner will be looking to win gold in the 110m hurdles.
Eliud Kipchoge of Kenya stands a good chance of winning a medal in the 5000m. He took silver in 2008 at the Beijing Olympic Games, and won gold at the 2003 World Championships.
"I want to fight extremely hard for my first-ever Commonwealth Games medal. This is one of the events in which I haven't got a medal," said Kipchoge.
Sunette Viljoen of South Africa will be defending her javelin title against Kimberley Mickle of Australia and Laura Whittingham of England. Viljoen set a new personal best earlier this year in Prague.
Canada will be looking to take home a couple of medals as well. Dylan Armstong set Canadian indoor and outdoor shot put records this year, and finished fourth in Diamond League standings.
Canada also hopes to take home a medal in the women’s pole vault with Carly Dockendorf, Gabriella Duclos-Lasnier and Kelsie Hendry all looking to challenge British record holder Kate Dennison for top spot.
Defending women’s triple jump champion, Trecia-Kaye Smith will attend the Games, and stands a good chance of winning again as the only competing athlete to jump over 14m in the past two years.
Australia will also send two high quality athletes that hope to win the men’s long jump, in Fabrice Lapierre and Chris Noffke.
While the most famous athletes, for the most part, have withdrawn from the Games, many experienced and successful athletes remain as well as a host of young, up-and-coming athletes. The Commonwealth Games has never had the athlete participation the Olympics
has, but despite a plethora of problems and worries, the track and field events still look to be as impressive as ever.
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