Commonwealth Youth Games begin in Great Britain

Thursday, September 08, 2011

OTTAWA - The 2011 Commonwealth Youth Games officially kick off this evening in Isle of Man, Great Britain with the Opening Ceremonies.  The Commonwealth Youth Games feature the best youth-aged athletes in athletics, badminton, boxing, cycling, gymnastics, rugby 7’s and swimming.  The Games run September 8 to 13 with athletics competition beginning tomorrow, Friday September 9.

Athletics’ own Asianna Covington of Surrey, B.C., was selected as flag bearer to lead the Canadian contingent into tonight’s Opening Ceremonies.  Covington, a member of the Kajaks Track and Field Club in Richmond, B.C., will compete in the hammer and discus throw during the Games.  At this year's Legion Canadian Youth Championships she won both events and set a championship record in the discus.  She’s won the British-Columbia High School Championship in the hammer, discus, and shot put the last three years in a row.  “I'm so honoured to be chosen as the Flag Bearer and I can't wait to walk into that stadium on Thursday.  This is my first international competition and my first time travelling outside North America, so you could say I'm pretty excited!”         

Athletics is well represented on the Canadian team with 21 athletes coming from the sport.  The first athletes to compete will be Shaina Harrison of Aurora, Ont., and Caroline Morin-Houde of St-Jean-Sur-Richelieu, Que., in the 100-metre heats at 11:30 local time (6:30am eastern time). The complete schedule of Canadians in action is available here http://bit.ly/nOcxio.

Keep track of Canadian track and field athletes at the Commonwealth Youth Games on Athletics Canada’s website http://www.athletics.ca/page.asp?id=553, on Facebook http://www.facebook.com/Canadatrackandfield and on Twitter http://twitter.com/AthleticsCanada.

-AC-