Athletes set for Commonwealth Games action...
LOUGHBOROUGH will be well represented at the Commonwealth Games which get underway today (Wednesday, April 4) in the Gold Coast, Australia, with more than 100 athletes in action.
Loughborough University has just short of 100 current students, alumni and campus based athletes in action representing nine different countries, with Loughborough College has 47 current and former students in action representing England, Scotland, Wales and the Isle of Man.
The wide ranging list of sports which Loughborough could medal in include athletics, swimming, badminton, basketball, cycling, diving, hockey, netball, rugby sevens, table tennis, triathlon, weightlifting and wrestling.
And there could also be medals in the para-schedule, with competitors in the athletics, cycling and para-powerlifting events.
The action takes place from April 4-15, and the Gold Coast will welcome more than 6,600 athletes and team officials from 70 Commonwealth nations and territories to the Gold Coast and event cities Brisbane, Cairns and Townsville, to share in the celebration of sport, entertainment and culture.
The largest sporting event to be staged in Australia this decade, GC2018 will feature the largest integrated sports program in Commonwealth Games history, comprising 18 sports and seven para-sports. Beach Volleyball, Para Triathlon and Women’s Rugby Sevens will make their Commonwealth Games debuts and for the first time at a Commonwealth Games, an equal number of men’s and women’s medal events will be contested.
• Turn to pages 76 and 77 for special features on a handful of the Loughborough athletes going for gold down under.