Chef de mission says Team NI will serve up a medal treat Down Under
Strong squad of 88 athletes will take part in Commonwealth Games
The boss of Team NI’s Commonwealth Games squad believes they have the strength and depth to pick up a haul of medals in Australia.
A total of 88 athletes representing 13 sports were named yesterday.
They include boxer Michaela Walsh (pictured), a silver medallist from the 2014 games and middle-distance runner Ciara Mageean who will be chasing a medal in the 1,500 metres.
McVeigh, the team’s chef de mission, said they had selected a strong squad and while it would be a tough task, they were up for the challenge Down Under.
“Anyone going to Australia including the England cricket team know what it is like to go to Australia to compete,” he said.
“They are a nation once they get on the field of play they are there to win and it is a difficult place to go.
“It is great at this stage to announce the team – it is two years in the planning and we congratulate all of the athletes who have been selected and commiserate with all of the others who have been trying so hard and just haven’t made this time.”
Three Para-athletes have also been included in the travelling party.
Wheelchair athlete Jack Agnew has been selected along with swimmer Barry McClements and triathlete David Kerr.
Among the athletes to miss out are sprinter Amy Foster and Kerry O'Flaherty.
The full team is:
Wheelchair athlete Jack Agnew has been selected along with swimmer Barry McClements and triathlete David Kerr.
Northern Ireland's Commonwealth Games squad
Aquatics: Calum Bain, James Brown, Curtis Coulter, Conor Ferguson, Jamie Graham, Danielle Hill, Barry McClements, Jordan Sloan, David Thompson
Athletics: Jack Agnew, Adam Kirk-Smith, Sommer Lecky, Ciara Mageean, Dempsey McGuigan, Adam McMullen, Emma Mitchell, Kate O'Connor, Paul Pollock, Leon Reid, Ben Reynolds, Kevin Seaward
Badminton: Ciaran Chambers, Sinead Chambers, Rachael Darrah
Boxing: Steven Donnelly, Brendan Irvine, Sean McComb, James McGivern, Stephen McMonagle, Carly McNaul, Alana Nihell, Kristina O'Hara, Damien Sullivan, Kurt Walker, Conor Wallace, Aidan Walsh, Michaela Walsh
Cycling: Lydia Boylan, Eileen Burns, Marcus Christie, Mark Downey, Marc Potts, Robyn Stewart, Xeno Young
Gymnastics: Ewan McAteer, Rhys McClenaghan
Lawn bowls: Sandra Bailie, Catherine Beattie, Gary Kelly, Andrew Kyle, Simon Martin, Sally McAuley, Donna McCloy, Ian McClure, Martin McHugh, Erin Smith
Netball: Kyla Bowman, Lisa Bowman, Niamh Cooper, Michelle Drayne, Gemma Lawlor, Noleen Lennon, Michelle Magee, Lisa McCaffrey, Oonagh McCullough, Caroline O'Hanlon, Fionnuala Toner, Neamh Woods
Shooting: Jack Alexander, Kirsty Barr, David Calvert, Rory Hamilton, David Henning, Stuart Hill, Gareth McAuley, Alexandra Skeggs
Table tennis: Owen Cathcart, Paul McCreery, Ashley Robinson, Zak Wilson
Triathlon: James Edgar, David Kerr, Russell White
Weightlifting: Stephen Forbes, Emma McQuaid, Cameron Montgomery, Rebekah Thompson
Wrestling: Sarah McDaid