The Aussies will send 52 swimmers, including 31 rookies, to Delhi. Seven-time Commonwealth Games gold medallist Leisel Jones will lead the team along with Geoff Huegill, who makes a comeback. Ashley Callus, 31, will make her fourth appearance while Queensland's latest sensation Yolane Kukla, 14, is the youngest on the team. Unfortunately, the team will be missing Stephanie Rice, triple Olympic champion, who is suffering from a shoulder injury.
Coming from neighbouring New Zealand, 14-year-old diver Gabrielle Armstrong-Scott will be the country’s youngest athlete to ever compete at the Commonwealth Games; she will be just 14 years and 34 days old when the Games begin on October 3. She will take part in 10m platform and 1m springboard events.
Dennis Pusley, British swimming head coach, has revealed that swimmers from England, Scotland and Wales had been instructed to give the Delhi 2010 a priority so that they can try their best against rival Australians. “If things go according to plan, we should have a good Commonwealth Games, but we are going up against the number two country in the ‘World of Swimming’ and that is a big challenge for us,” he said.
Double Olympic champion Rebecca Adlington and World champions Liam Tancock, Gemma Spofforth and Keri-Anne Payne are part of a 45-strong team from England to this year’s Games. “I don’t want to read too much into it, the 18 medals that Britain picked up in the European championships in Budapest recently, but the plan all along was really to see our best performances at the Games so if things do go to plan then we should be on track for a very good year,” continued Pusley.
From Canada, 27 swimmers will be heading for Delhi. World record holder and world championship silver medallist Annamay Pierse will be the top contender from the maple-leaf country. “It is another great opportunity to race against some of the best in the World,” Pierse said. “On top of that, I have always wanted to go to India, so I am really excited to represent Canada at the Games,” she further admitted.
Host India puts its hopes on young swimmers Virdhawal Khade and Sandeep Sejwal to open their account on medal tally.
Delhi's Official Mascot