Athletics and Swimming have been confirmed, including high profile names such as boxer Paddy Barnes and swimmer Melanie Nocher. At Delhi, 71 teams will compete over 17 sports and 4 Para Sports.Support is received from Sport Northern Ireland while a number of athletes benefit from services from the Sports Institute Northern Ireland (SINI).
Named in the last batch are 10 boxers including the prolific Paddy Barnes (SINI) who was recently crowned European amateur champion when he won the gold medal at light-flyweight in Moscow. Barnes is only the sixth Irish boxer to secure gold at the championships and the first in 19 years. With an Olympic bronze from Beijing, the fiery light-flyweight is looking forward to the Commonwealth Games.
Tommy McCarthy (SINI) trains out of the Oliver Plunkett club in Belfast and is the current World Youth Bronze light heavy weight medallist. He is joined by Eamonn O’Kane (75kg) who has won Commonwealth Gold in 2007 and a European bronze medal and Cathal McMonagle (91+kg), silver European medallist and current Ulster and Irish champion.
The recent Open boxing competition helped selectors make their decision with Ulster Senior Champion Mark O’Hara (60kg), reigning U21 Irish Champion Paddy Gallaher and All Saints light-welterweight Steven Donnelly who took gold at the Arafura Games in Australia all being included.
Derry's 19 year old Tyrone McCullagh won a bronze medal in the European Amateur Championships in Moscow while previous Ulster Champion Steven Ward and Youth Games competitor Michael Conlon are all included.
Athletics lines up another eight athletes including an exciting 4x400m relay team. Sprinter Amy Foster (SINI) will race over 100m after recording a string of good performances this season including winning the NI and English AAA Championships while Tom Reynolds has been selected for the Decathlon after a PB time of 7270 earlier this year.
In swimming, seven more athletes have been named. Following on from an impressive junior career Melanie Nocher (SINI) has progressed to compete in the Commonwealths and two World Championships (2007 and 2009). Melanie was part of the Ireland team in the 2008 Olympics in Beijing and competed in the 200m freestyle and 200m backstroke.
Melanie said:
“The Commonwealth games has been one of my favourite and most enjoyable competitions that I’ve been able to compete in so being able to do it again will be fantastic. It is also very special as it is the only competition where I can solely represent Northern Ireland!”
Joining her is breaststroke swimmer from Helen's Bay, Andrew Bree who is a 2-time Irish Olympian, having swam at the 2000 and 2008 Olympics. He became the first Irish person to win a medal at the European Short Course Swimming Championships when he finished second in the 200 m breaststroke at the 2003 Championships. He has competed at three Commonwealth Games in Melbourne, Manchester and Kuala Lumpar.
Derry swimmer Ryan Harrison secured qualification for the Commonwealth Games after setting three Irish senior records in the 400m freestyle, 200m freestyle while his mark of 50.29 was also a new Irish 100m record. The University of Tennessee student secured his berth in Rome by claiming two bronze medals at the recent US Grand Prix meeting in Austin, Texas.
Conor Leaney (SINI) came 3rd in the Commonwealth Youth Games 50m freestyle and competed in the 2009 World Championships setting an Irish Junior record. Michael Dawson insured he had a chance of being selected after taking 100m breaststroke gold at the Irish Open and Youth championships and just six hundredths outside the time..
Chairman of the NI Commonwealth Games Council said:
“I believe we have selected the best Northern Ireland competitors to compete in the Games. We wish them well in their challenge to represent Northern Ireland in Delhi against 70 other Nations”.
-ENDS-
For further information contact Clare McCoy on 02890 606964 or marketing@niathletics.org or visit http://www.cgcni.org.uk
Notes to Editors:
- The Northern Ireland Commonwealth Games Council has selected three members of their support team ahead of the Games which take place from 3-14 October in Delhi, India. This will be the first time India has hosted the Games and only the second time the event has been held in Asia (Kuala Lumpur in 1998 was the first).
- Team management includes- Chef de Mission Robert McVeigh supported by Terry Crothers, Alison Moffitt and Stewart Tosh. Medical team: Dr Barbara Fair, Dr Philip Glasgow & Press officer: Clare McCoy.
- The OC CWG Delhi 2010 has set itself the goal of conducting the best Commonwealth Games to date, including the provision of impeccable standards of service to athletes, officials and the general public, in close collaboration with its partners. It hopes to set new benchmarks for other Host nations with regards to urban sustainable development by showcasing excellent infrastructure and facilities which could be used by the society and the general public for generations to come.
