So just who's going to the Commonwealth Games?

13 April 2012

The swimming competition in Delhi may be the only event left that prevents the Commonwealth Games from drowning.

The top names from the home nations jetted off to Doha earlier this morning to complete their preparations for the event which starts next Sunday.

A raft of big names have already withdrawn, reducing an event devalued in recent years even further.

Team England's Natasha Danvers, Christine Ohuruogu, Phillips Idowu and Lisa Dobriskey have all pulled out in the last 48 hours. They joined double European champion Mo Farah, who blamed fatigue, and Jessica Ennis.

England, Wales and Scotland, though, have sent their strongest possible contingent of swimmers to their pre-Games holding camp in the Middle-East led by double Olympic champion Becky Adlington and backstroke world record holder Liam Tancock.

There were few, if any, signs of nerves among the British swimmers despite the athletes' village being described as "uninhabitable". Prior to boarding, Tancock tweeted: "Excited about flying to Doha soon. Can't wait," while his team-mates's tweets were similarly positive in their outlook for India.

Many of the swimmers, including Tancock himself, have earmarked the Games as their main target for this season at the expense of last month's European Swimming Championships in Budapest.

While Adlington and Tancock will lead Team England in the pool, Wales will rest their hopes on duo David Davies, bidding to defend his 1500m freestyle title, and Jazz Carlin, and Scotland will be spearheaded by European 400m champion Hannah Miley.

Although the British swimming team reads like a who's who of Olympic hopefuls, the current athletics line-up for the Games does not and could yet face further withdrawals.

Ricky Simms, the agent for sprint sensation Usain Bolt who has opted not to take part in Delhi, has 25 athletes from seven different countries competing for glory next month.

At present, his athletes in Delhi will include sprinter Mark Lewis-Francis, hurdler Andy Turner, long-jumper Chris Tomlinson and long-distance runner Chris Thompson — and Simms said the next 48 hours would be crucial for his stable. Other sports have also been hit. A youthful track cycling line-up is being sent to Delhi led by Team Sky's up-and-coming rider Ben Swift. Chris Hoy and Victoria Pendleton will focus instead on the build-up to the European Championships.

There is far more experience in England's road team, who have Tour de France veterans Jeremy Hunt and Chris Froome, while the women's team will be confident of gold through one of Lizzie Armitstead, Sharon Laws and Emma Pooley. But even Armitstead admitted this week she had some apprehension ahead of the Games.

"A lot's been made about security and I know a lot of athletes have decided not to compete but I'm happy to go. I'm a little bit nervous but I'm trying to think about it," said the 21-year-old.

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