The
XIX Commonwealth Games in Delhi is expected to be the
largest Games in terms of athletes and officials attending
– over 6500 are expected. Seventy-one Commonwealth
countries are expected to take part.
This
sports program includes seventeen sports (nineteen if
you classify Diving and Synchronised Swimming separately
as sports rather than part of Aquatics) two more than
in Melbourne in 2006. The sports of Archery, Tennis and
Wrestling have been added to the program while Basketball
and Triathlon will not be contested.
India
is the second most populous nation in the world, and first
in the Commonwealth with more than 1.2 billion people.
As well it is the largest democracy in the world and at
present its economy is growing at a rapid rate.
Delhi,
the capital of India, has hosted a number of Asian Games
in the past with the most recent in 1982. The city is
very large with more than 14m residents and is the administrative
centre of the country.
For
the 2010 Games the Indian authorities have constructed
many new sports venues as well as substantially renovated
existing venues which were used for the 1982 Games. As
well the government of the City of Delhi has undertaken
a large number of major infrastructure projects, which,
in addition to supporting the hosting of the Games, are
being built for the long term benefit of the City.
The
2010 Australian Team is expected to be the largest ever
sent to a Games overseas with more than 600 athletes and
officials going to Delhi for the Games. The athletes in
the Team are, for the most part, younger than those who
competed in Melbourne four years ago, and as such, many
will be going to their first every Commonwealth or Olympic
Games.
In
2006 the Australian Team set a new Games record winning
221 medals including 84 gold, 69 silver and 68 bronze.
This is a record which will be difficult for the 2010
Team to surpass or match in Delhi for a number of reasons.
Not
only are the Games away from home but we also expect increased
strong opposition from the Teams from the home nations
(England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland), all
of which have received significant amounts of preparation
funding for these Games, the 2012 London Olympic Games
and the 2014 Glasgow Commonwealth Games.
We
also expect athletes from India, to perform very well
at their home games particularly in the sports of Badminton,
Shooting, Table Tennis, Weightlifting and Wrestling. Strong
performances are also expected from the athletes from
Canada, Malaysia, New Zealand and South Africa. All of
this makes for keen competition in Delhi however I am
confident Australian athletes will, as always, be successful
and represent our nation with pride.
The
2010 Team will be led by Chef de Mission Steve Moneghetti
who has won Gold, Silver, and Bronze medals at past Commonwealth
Games in the Marathon and 10,000m events. Steve also was
the Athlete Liaison officer in the 2002 Australian CG
Team in Manchester, and then served as Mayor of the Games
Village in 2006. The Team General Manager is ACGA CEO
Perry Crosswhite who will be serving in this capacity
in his fourth consecutive Games.
Like
all Australian Commonwealth Games Teams of the past the
Team Officials will again be endeavouring to meet the
one single objective – to support the participation
and performance of the athletes which is the reason the
Games are organised.
I
join all Australians in wishing our 2010 Team the best
for the Games. We can ask no more of you than to be proud
of your Country, be humble in victory and gracious in
defeat, and above all, to do your best.
Sam Coffa AM JP
President, Australian Commonwealth Games Association
For
information on the Delhi 2010 Commonwealth Games go to
www.cwgdelhi2010.com
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