Island athletes named to Commonwealth Games team

http://www.theguardian.pe.ca/Sports/Track-%26amp%3B-field/2010-09-17/article-1772040/Island-athletes-named-to-Commonwealth-Games-team/1

Island athletes named to Commonwealth Games team

Jared Connaughton

Published on September 17th, 2010

Prince Edward Island is sending Canada’s fastest 200-metre sprinter and a co-captain of the women’s national field hockey team to the 2010 Commonwealth Games in Delhi, India, Oct. 3 to 14.

Island athletes named to the team include New Haven sprinter Jared Connaughton and field hockey veteran Katie Baker of Argyle Shore.

Connaughton, 25, is the 2010 national champion in the 200 metres. At the 2009 world championships, he placed fifth in the 4x100-metre relay.

At the 2008 Beijing Olympics, Connaughton made the semis in the 200 metres and finished sixth in the 4x100 metre relay. He also won a silver medal at the 2007 Pan Am Games in the 4x100m relay.

Baker, 26, is a midfielder and co-captain of the women’s national field hockey team.

She has been a member of the senior national team since 2006 and was on the junior national team from 2004 to 2005.

Baker has played for the Royal Antwerp hockey club in Belgium as well as Meralomas in Vancouver. She was honoured with a nomination to the 2009 Pan American Elite Team.

“I’ve had the opportunity to see Katie on the field and Jared on the track and they have both worked exceptionally hard to be able to represent Canada and P.E.I.,” said Team Canada Chef de Mission, Martha Deacon.

“Jared worked toward a best-ever performance at the 2010 Canadian track and field championships in Toronto, and for Katie to be a veteran of the field hockey program and to go play in India, where the sport is so big, is exceptional.

“They’re tremendous role models for the youth of P.E.I.”

Canada is sending a team of 400 athletes, coaches and support staff to the Commonwealth Games in Delhi and has a goal of finishing top three in the medal count.