Golden chance for female athletes at CWG; Sindhu named flag-bearer
The long-established Commonwealth Games will be bringing in something new.
The quadrennial event that opens Thursday in Birmingham will be the first multi-sport international meet to host more medal events for women than for men, and is running in tandem with its largest ever para sport programme.
There’ll be 136 gold medals awarded to women, 134 on offer for men, and 10 in mixed events when the 11-day Commonwealth Games, which started out in 1930 as the British Empire Games, is staged in England for the third time.
Like all major events in the COVID-19 pandemic, there’ll be athletes among the roughly 5,000 atending from 72 nations or territories who’ll be impacted by the coronavirus.
Shelly-annfraser-prycecouldbeliningupforone of them, just weeks ater she won the 100 meters at the World Championships in Eugene, Oregon.
The 35-year-old Jamaican, a five-time world champion in the 100 and three-time Olympic gold medalist, has never claimed an individual gold medal at the Commonwealth Games.
Fraser-pryce led a medal sweep for Jamaica in the 100 at the world championships in front of Shericka Jackson and Elaine Thompson-herah. She finished second to Jackson in the 200, with Dina Asher-smith of Britain taking bronze to prevent a back-to-back sprint sweep for Jamaica.
Ater finishing off with a silver medal with the Jamaican women’s 4x100 relay, Fraser-pryce posted a message to fans on Facebook: “See you at the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham!”
Asher-smith announced on Wednesday she had withdrawn from the England team for the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham due to a hamstring injury.
The Indian contingent had a setback on the eve of the Games, when Olympic javelin champion Neeraj Chopra withdrew from the team ater doctors recommended he focus on rehabilitation for the groin injury he sustained on the way to a silver at the world championships last week.
“Needless to say, I am hurt about not being able to defend my title and missing out on another opportunity to represent the nation,” Chopra said in a statement posted on Twiter.
Two-timeolympicmedallistpvsindhudescribed it as “a great honour” ater the Indian Olympic Association decided to name her as India’s flagbearer at the opening ceremony.
Sindhu has to step in as Chopra, who was earlier announced as flag-bearer had to withdraw due to an injury.
“It’s a great honour to be bestowed with the
The 22nd edition of the Games opens in Birmingham on Thursday, bringing together around 5,000 athletes from 72 nations and territories to compete in 19 sports over 11 days
responsibility to lead the contingent and hold the flag at such an august gathering. I am extremely happy and I wish all my fellow contingent all the best for the Games. I would like to thank IOA also for choosing me as the Flag-bearer,” Sindhu said ater the announcement here on Wednesday.
A highlight of the Games is the inclusion of women’s cricket for the first time, and World Cup champion Australia will be seeking to add to its recent dominance.
The Australians are weighing up whether they’ll march in the opening ceremony, which is the night before their big opening match against India.
Australia coach Shelley Nitschke on Tuesday said the team’s priority was continuing its winning run in the big events.
“(There) is big motivation. It is the first one,” she said. “We are really keen to put our best foot forward and hopefully add a gold medal to the mix.”
A medal is also the main target for India, runners-up to Australia at the last T20 World Cup.
“This tournament is very important for us,” India captain Harmanpreet Kaur said. “This time we’re playing for medals. We’ve grown (up) watching these ... and this time we’re glad we’re also geting opportunities to be part of this big event.”
In swimming, English champion Adam Peaty will be seeking a third Commonwealth Games gold medal in the 100 breaststroke when he returns to the pool ater a fractured bone in his foot forced him out of the World Aquatic Championships at Budapest in June.