Youngest Athlete at Commonwealth Games in India
Gabrielle Armstrong-Scott, who has been selected to the New Zealand diving squad for the Commonwealth Games 2010 at New Delhi, will become that country’s youngest ever athlete to compete at the Games.
She will be 14 years and 34 days when the Commonwealth Games begin October 3.
According to the New Zealand Olympic Committee, Armstrong-Scott will represent New Zealand in the 10m platform and 1m springboard competitions., She will wrest the record from gymnast Nikki Jenkins, who won vault gold at the Auckland Games in 1990 when aged 14 years and seven months.
New Zealand Diving High Performance Manager Luvaine McDonald says Armstrong-Scott’s selection is significant for diving. “The Commonwealth Games is an elite event in the sport of diving, with Australia, Canada and Malaysia producing some of the world’s top divers,” she said. “For a minority New Zealand sport, her selection, resulting from current performance, is significant.”
Armstrong-Scott trains 22 hours each week with sessions taking place before and after school and is focused on executing more difficult dives to increase her ability to score well, informs the Games site through a release issued today, July 13.
It further says Armstrong-Scott will head to Tuscon, Arizona this September for the Junior World Championships as part of her pre-games build-up.
The New Zealand squad for Commonwealth Games is expected to number 195 athletes and 100 support staff. The team will come together to honour Sir Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay.
It has sent a total of 33 divers to Commonwealth Games and New Zealanders have won four bronze medals, the last being Nicky Cooney in springboard at Auckland in 1990.
The picture above in this report is of Shera, the mascot of the XIX Commonwealth Games 2010 Delhi.
Photo courtesy: Organising Committee Commonwealth Games 2010 Delhi
