Wendy Houvenaghel and Madeline Perry head the first list of twelve competitors selected to represent Northern Ireland in this years Commonwealth Games in Delhi.
Both are considered medal hopes with Houvenaghel the current Olympic and World silver medalist in the women’s individual pursuit while Perry is ranked seventh in the squash world rankings but fourth of those eligible to compete in the Games.
Perry was the first nomination put forward for selection to the team and she’ll be taking part in her fourth Games. Since her return to the sport, after a violent street assault in Italy requiring a spell in hospital in 2006, Madeline has produced many great performances on the world circuit including reaching the British Open final last year where she beat world number one Nicole David from Malaysia on route to the final.
“I am really excited about heading to Delhi for the Commonwealth Games; I believe this is my strongest chance of medaling. Based on current rankings I will be ranked fourth at the games and I have beaten the top three including the world number 1 this year so I believe this could be my year. The Commonwealths are a really special event, it is great to represent Northern Ireland and be part of a bigger team, and there is always an amazing atmosphere. However I have to have the mindset that this is like any other event and not to treat it differently,” said Perry who will be helped by having her back-up team there as part of the Northern Ireland Commonwealth Games Council.
“I am really pleased that Dr Phil Glasgow from SINI is part of the support team, SINI have been integral part of my support over the last four years and it is great to have people who know me and know what it takes for me to perform around me at the Commonwealths,” added Perry.
There are just 140 days to go until the start of the Games which takes place from 3-14th October. The women bowlers line up with five players, a pair and a triple, which include Jennifer Dowds, Sandra Bailie, Mandy Cunningham, Barbara Logue and Donna McCloy. These bowlers under the guidance of experienced Outdoor and Indoor International Sally McGarel competed in the Indian capital earlier this year.
“I am absolutely thrilled to have been selected to represent Northern Ireland at the Commonwealth Games. When the letter arrived through the post telling me I was selected I was just over the moon, it was the best letter I have ever received. We will be training hard during the summer months and I have been working on my core strength and upper body strength at the Sports Institute Northern Ireland, it is really important to me especially with the conditions in Delhi,” explained Bailie who along with Dowds are also helped by the Sports Institute of Northern Ireland as is cyclist David McCann who along with Michael Hutchinson finished fourth and fifth in the individual time trial in Melbourne 2006 and they join Wendy Houvenaghel on the team.
McCann has been in tremendous form on the Asian circuit in recent weeks by earning wins in the Tour of Philippines and the Tour of Taiwan.
Swimmers Claire Dawson from the Ards club and Belfast teenager Sycerika McMahon achieved qualifying times in Dublin last weekend, to gain selection.
“I am very excited, I have literally just found out and it has been a great surprise to be selected for the Commonwealths. The opportunity to represent Northern Ireland means a lot to me and it really is a great honour. In terms of expectations of Delhi I haven’t really thought about, my main focus at the minute is just to train well ahead of my next competition which is the Junior Europeans in Helsinki in July,” said 15 year old McMahon who is attached to the Performer Development Centres set up by Sport NI in partnership with the Sports Institute of Northern Ireland to provide support services to some of the provinces aspiring sporting stars within Olympic and Commonwealth sports.
Mark Montgomery, who also makes use of the PDC and who competed in the Manchester 2002 Games in the sport of Judo where he finished in 5th place has been selected in wrestling. The Aghalee man finished in fifth place at the 2002 games in Manchester and he is aiming high again, only 18 months after taking advantage of Sport NI’s Talent Transfer Initiative and swapping his belt for wrestling garb.
Talking about the provinces chances at the 2010 Games, Robert McVeigh, Chairman of the Northern Ireland Commonwealth Games Council said they want to do better than the 2006 Games, where they won two silver medals. “We will have more than 70 athletes making a team exceeding 100 in number and will look to return better off than we did from Melbourne. One reason is that the timing of the Games suits us, coming as it does towards the end of our summer season.”
