Ja to compete in nine sports

JAMAICA will compete in nine sports at the XVII Commonwealth Games which gets underway in Manchester, England on Thursday.

Athletics, with 50 athletes and 10 officials, has by far the largest representation followed by netball with 12 players and three officials.

New national record holders - Brigitte Foster in the 100m hurdles (12.49) and 400m queen Lorraine Fenton (49.30) are expected to be the leading medal contenders for Jamaica. National 400m champion Michael Blackwood, who has been running some fast times on the grand prix circuit, is also a strong medal hope.

The bulk of Jamaica's contingent is already in Manchester for the Games. The rest of the squad, including World Junior Championships 400m hurdles silver medalist Melaine Walker and sprint hurdler Maurice Wignall, is expected to leave today for the July 25-August 4 Games.

The following are the full teams and list of officials for the nine sports.

Athletics: Men - Chris Williams (200m, 4x100m), Dwight Thomas (100m, 200m, 4x100m), Latonel Williams (4x100m), Michael Frater (100m, 4x100m), Asafa Powell (100m, 4x100m), Ricardo Williams (200m, 4x100m), Danny McFarlane (4x400m), Davian Clarke (4x400m), Sanjay Ayre (400m, 4x400m), Pete Coley (400m, 4x400m), Brandon Simpson (4x400m), Michael Blackwood (400m, 4x400m), Marvin Watts (800m), Maurice Wignall (110mH), Ricardo Melbourne (110mH), Claston Bernard (decathlon), Michael Tomlin (1500m), Ian Weakley (400mH), Kemel Thompson (400mH), Dinsdale Morgan (400mH), Kevin Brown (shot put/discus), Germaine Mason (high jump), Craig Norman (high jump), Gregory Hines (110mH), James Beckford (long jump).

Women: Veronica Campbell (100m, 4x100m), Tayna Lawrence (100m, 4x100m), Peta-Gaye Barrett (100m, 4x100m), Beverly McDonald (200m, 4x100m), Astia Walker (200m, 4x100m), Juliet Campbell (200m, 4x100m), Sandie Richards (400m, 4x400m), Allison Beckford (400m, 4x400m), Ronetta Smith (400m, 4x400m), Charmaine Howell (800m, 4x400m), Lorraine Fenton (4x400m), Debbie-Ann Parris (400mH, 4x400m), Deon Hemmings (400mH), Melaine Walker (400mH), Michelle Ballentine (800m), Mardrea Hyman (800m, 1500m), Bridgitte Foster (100mH), Vonette Dixon (100mH), Lacena Golding-Clarke (100mH), Melissa Gibbons (shot put/discus), Elva Goulbourne (long jump), Trecia-Kaye Smith (long jump/triple jump), Suzette Lee (triple jump), Karen Beautle (high jump), Natalie Grant (hammer).

Officials: Bernard Panton, Dennis Johnson, Fitz Coleman, Maurice Westney, Raymond Stewart, Maurice Wilson, Jerry Holness, Keith Gardner, Marie Tavares, Jennifer Wynter.

BADMINTON: Bradley Graham (singles), Alexander Haddad (singles/men's doubles), Charles Pyne (singles/men's, mixed doubles), Nigella Saunders (singles/mixed doubles). Official: Ricardo Teape.

BOXING: Kerron Speid (heavyweight, 91kg), Sheldon Rudolph (lightweight, 63.5kg), Tseti Davis (welterweight, 67kg), Courtney Harvey (lightweight, 60kg). Officials: Luke Ducille-Irons, Barrington Graham.

CYCLING: Christian Tavares-Finson, Cleveland Sharpe, Ricardo Lynch, Horace McFarlane. Officials: Arthur Tenn, Peter Aldridge.

NETBALL: Simone Forbes, Sharmalee Watkins, Oberon Pitterson, Sharon Wiles, Tasha Morgan, Elaine Davis, Nichala Gibson, Tifanie Wolfe, Georgia Gordon, Kaydia Kentish, Nadine Bryan, Nadine Ffrench. Officials: Cora Ricketts, Maureen Hall and Marva Bernard.

SHOOTING: Jose Nunez (50m rifle prone), David Rickman (full bore), Keith Hammond, 50m rifle prone), Carl Smith (full bore). Official: Dennis Lee - team manager.

Squash: James Bullock (singles/men's doubles, mixed doubles), Ronald Prescod (singles/men's doubles, mixed doubles), Marlene West (singles/women's doubles, mixed doubles), Karen Anderson (singles (women's doubles, mixed doubles). Official: Stanley Douglas Beckford.

SWIMMING: Ramon James (50m freestyle, 50m backstroke, 50m butterfly, 100m backstroke); Janelle Atkinson (200m butterfly, 400m freestyle, 800m freestyle, 4x100m freestyle, 4x100m medley), Angela Chuck (50m freestyle, 100m freestyle, 200m freestyle, 4x100m freestyle, 4x100m medley(, Marian Chuck (50m backstroke, 100m backstroke, 100m backstroke, 200m backstroke, 4x100m freestyle, 4x100m medley), Tamara Swaby (50m freestyle, 50m butterfly, 100m butterfly, 200m butterfly, 4x100m freestyle, 4x100m medley). Officials: John Eyre, Jacqueline Walter.

TABLE TENNIS: Gavin Hylton (singles/team), Peter Moo Young (singles, doubles, team), Peter Moo Young (singles/doubles, team), Christopher Marsh (singles/doubles/team). Official: Keith Garvey, Sandra Riettie.

MEDICAL PERSONELL: Dr Praimand Singh, Dr Jerome Howell, Dr Paul Auden, Nicholas Ford, Angela lawrence, Valerie Robinson, Karen Julius.

Jamaica Olympic Association (JOA): Lloyd Gooden - Chef de Mission, Stanley Hall - general team manager, Denise Forest - Asst. Chef de Mission.

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