Lisa Dobriskey will compete at Commonwealth Games in Delhi
Lisa Dobriskey has decided to compete at the Commonwealth Games in Delhi, India this October. Dobriskey is the latest athlete added to what is considered a strong British team. Dobriskey finished fourth in the women’s 1500m last month at the European Athletics Championships in Barcelona, but won bronze at the Diamond League London Grand Prix last weekend. She will be defending her Commonwealth title after winning gold at the 2006 Games in Melbourne.
"To defend my title would mean a lot to me and the more racing experience I can get in championship events the better," said Dobriskey. "Other than next year's World Championships, there are very few such opportunities between now and London 2012.”
In 2006 she won gold in Melbourne with a time of 4:06.21 min, her personal best was less than 4 minutes in Zurich in 2009. Dobriskey is also considering running the 800m as well. Her best 800m time is 2:02.90 min. Janeth Jepkosgei of Kenya won the 800m in Melbourne with a time of 1:57.88 min.
Along with Dobriskey, England will send European triple jump champion, Phillips Idowu, and Olympic 400m gold medallist Christine Ohuruogu. Idowu and Ohuruogu will both be defending their Commonwealth titles as well. Mo Farah, current European 10000m and 5000m champion, will also be heading to Delhi. Farah also won gold at the 2009 European Indoor Championships, the 2009 European Team Championships, and the 2006 European Cross Country Championships. His best Commonwealth finish was ninth in the 5000m in 2006.
Andy Turner, who won gold at the European Championships last month in the 110m hurdles, will also be heading to Delhi hoping to improve upon his bronze medal performance in Melbourne. Turner finished last in his race last weekend in London while watching his friend and former training partner, David Oliver, take first-place with a time of 13.06 seconds. Turner’s personal best is 13.27 seconds, which he ran in Osaka, Japan in 2007.
Mark Lewis-Francis, who finished with the silver in the 100m in Barcelona, is also set to compete in Delhi. Lewis also failed to cleanly receive the baton during the 4x100m race in Barcelona, causing his team to finish fifth. It was a disappointing finish for the team, a finish that Lewis-Francis took all the blame for.
"This is my fault, I've let the guys down," said Lewis-Francis.
After a mostly successful European Athletics Championships, UK Athletics head coach, Charles Van Commenee said there was much to work on, especially for the relay teams and the women’s field athletes. After last week’s Grand Prix in London, there seems to be more work than Commenee expected. During the London meet, Britain failed to produce any individual winners as the competition increased from just European competitors in Barcelona, to world class competitors. Both the Commonwealth Games, and the 2012 Olympic Games in London will see Britain match up against many of the same athletes that keep them from winning at the Grand Prix.
Some of the blame can be placed on athlete fatigue. After the European Championships in Barcelona, the athletes had less than a fortnight to prepare for the Grand Prix in London. With the Commonwealth Games not scheduled to start until October 3rd, the athletes will have enough time to rest and prepare.
Some athletes have already declared that they will not be competing in the Commonwealth Games, instead preferring to rest after a long season. Van Commenee has given his athletes the option of competing in Delhi, or in next year’s indoor season. Jessica Ennis, known primarily for the Heptathlon, and Jenny Meadows, the third fastest British woman in the 800m, have both decided they will not be going to Delhi.
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