Emma Jackson set to compete at Commonwealth Games
Emma Jackson is set to compete in the biggest competition of her career in Delhi, India. The 22-year old has been named to the team that Britain will send to take part in the 2010 Commonwealth Games. Jackson is part of a team that includes world and European triple jump champion Phillips Idowu, Olympic 400m gold medallist Christine Ohuruogu, 1500m defending Commonwealth champion Lisa Dobriskey and Mo Farah, who recently won gold in both the 10,000m and the 5,000 in Barcelona at the European Championships.
Jackson was able to set a personal best of two minutes, 0.88 seconds at the recent Crystal Palace London Grand Prix. She finished in ninth place.
“I am absolutely over the moon. This is the biggest competition of my career by far. It hasn't really sunk in yet, but I can't wait,” said an excited Jackson. “It's just great to be in the senior squad and to think I will be going to the games in the same team as someone like Mo Farah, the European Champion.”
In London, Jackson was up against some stiff competition starting with Mariya Savinova, who won the race with a time of 1min 58.64sec. She was also up against teammates Jemma Simpson, who finished third, Jennifer Meadows, and Lisa Dobriskey. At the Commonwealth Games she’ll also have to face Caster Semenya, who has a personal best time of one minute, 55.45 seconds. Semenya has recently returned after being banned from competition pending the results of a gender test. Semenya passed the test and finished first at the World Championships in Berlin. Her win prompted complaints from some of her competition.
Jackson made her senior international debut in June at the European Team Championships in Norway. She finished fourth in that race.
One challenge for Jackson in Delhi will be endurance. The 800m at the Commonwealth Games will see the semi-final and the final run on consecutive days. Jackson will take a page from Mo Farah regarding her preparation for the games in Delhi. Farah has spent time training in Kenya’s rift valley where the oxygen levels are low. The idea is that he’ll be better prepared for his 1500m race at regular oxygen levels. While Jackson is not going to such an extreme, she is going to be training in Qatar to acclimatise to India.
Jackson’s mentor and two-time Olympic gold medallist, Dame Kelly Holmes, has high hopes for the young athlete. She is also the president of the Commonwealth Games England.
"I would like to congratulate Emma and her coach Alan Morris on her selection. The Commonwealths were always an important event for me,” said Dame Kelly. ”It will be a great learning experience for Emma to compete in a multi-sport event as she builds towards London 2012 and I am sure she will perform very well."
England is hoping return to glory on the track. After a poor showing in 2008 at the Beijing Olympic Games, Charles Van Commenee was named UK Athletics head coach. Since his appointment UK athletes have improved, but according to Van Commenee they have much work left to do before the 2012 Olympics in London.
While Britain did manage to take 19 medals, 6 of them gold, at the European Championships in Barcelona, they also missed chances to win. The 4x100m men’s relay team failed to cleanly pass the baton causing a fifth place finish, and the 4x400m men’s relay team was upset by a Russian team and forced to settle with a second place finish.
With two years to go till the London games, Britain is looking to use the Commonwealth Games as a stepping stone to Olympic success.
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