Commonwealth Games Delhi India 2010 Commonwealth Games India

Led by India's biggest hope in swimming -- Virdhawal Khade, the India quartet clocked 3:28.06 to make a cut for the final of the Men's 4x100m Freestyle relay, after they finished sixth in their event at SPM Aquatics Complex in New Delhi on Monday.
The other three members of the team are Aaron Dsouza, Arjun Jayaprakash and Anshul Kothari.
India could make their presence felt in two more categories, even as most of them failed to advance further.
In men's 50m backstroke, Badrinath Melkote clocked 27.52 to qualify for the semifinals, while Subha Chittaranjan clocked 29.96 to enter the last four stage in women's 50m butterfly.
However, India put up a disappointing show in all other categories, including women's 200m freestyle, men's 400m freestyle, women's 200m individual medley, men's 200m butterfly, women's 50m breaststroke, as none of the swimmers could qualify in these events.
Meanwhile, a formidable Australian team, followed by England and Canada have already established their dominance in the pool.

NEW DELHI: Commonwealth Games Federation chief Mike Fennell on Friday inspected the Commonwealth Games Village and said "considerable improvements" have been made there even as embattled organisers continued their sprint against time to complete preparations for the October 3-14 event.

"It is good to be in Delhi, and the briefing I received from my CEO, Mike Hooper, last night, was that considerable improvements have been made within the Village, with further significant resources deployed by Delhi Chief Minister, Mrs Dikshit, to make good what was a concerning situation," Fennell said in a statement.

Fennell, accompanied by Organising Committee chairman Suresh Kalmadi, secretary general Randhir Singh CGF CEO Mike Hooper, took stock of the arrangements at the athletes Village, which was dubbed "filthy and uninhabitable" by visiting international delegates a couple of days ago.

His statement came even as the first batch of 22 English athletes landed in the capital but headed to hotels instead of the Village as their living area is still not ready.

The CGF boss, who was unimpressed with the pace of the work and even shot off a letter to the Cabinet Secretary a few days ago, also briefed the delegates about the work.

Fennell will meet Cabinet Secretary, KM Chandrasekhar this afternoon.

"I am looking forward to spending the morning with my colleagues from the Commonwealth Games movement and evaluating the situation with all the key stakeholders," Fennell said.

"I am certainly pleased to arrive in Delhi with the news that Australia has moved into the Village to get ready for the arrival of their athletes, and with the confirmation late yesterday that England and Wales will be on their way to Delhi shortly.

"Already so many athletes from around the Commonwealth have started their journey to Delhi. Our job across the next week is to help ensure that all the corrective work is completed in good time," he added.

Fennell said the organisers have to provide a good environment for the visiting athletes and officials.

"We must ensure that a suitable environment is provided to ensure the welfare of the athletes and their support staff.

"It is vital that all remedial work that has already started continues with the greatest urgency," Fennell said.

However, the grim build-up to the Games continued with four top British cyclists, including world champion Welshman Geraint Thomas, pulling out of the event along with New Zealand's Greg Henderson.

The New Zealand delegation will take another 24 hours before deciding whether to compete at the event.

Read more: Fennell checks out CWG Village, England athletes arrive - The Times of India http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/sports/events-tournaments/commonwealth-games/top-stories/Fennell-checks-out-CWG-Village-England-athletes-arrive/articleshow/6618906.cms#ixzz10XKjVerL

New Delhi, Sep. 25 (ANI): A 15-member delegation from Malaysia arrived here to assess the state of affairs just one week before the opening of the Commonwealth Games 2010.

The Malaysian delegation accompanied by two security officials will visit all the stadiums to assess the situation.

The delegation will leave on Monday. A total of 203 Malaysian athletes will be visiting India to participate in the Commonwealth Games.

The athletes will compete for medals in aquatics, archery, athletics, badminton, boxing, cycling, gymnastics, hockey, lawn bowls, rugby sevens, table tennis, shooting, squash and weightlifting.

Several other countries had raised concern over the preparedness of the venues after reports of hygiene issues, dengue fever outbreak and security incidents in the lead up to the event which is scheduled to begin in nine days.

India is scrambling against the clock to clean up the games venues.

Meanwhile, authorities tightened the security cover around the Games venues on Friday by deploying thousands of security personnel as athletes from various countries start trooping in for the embattled Games.

Paramilitary troops and heavily armed commandos had cast a tight security net around the Jawaharlal Nehru stadium, where the opening and closing ceremony would be held for the October 3-14 Games. (ANI)

NEW DELHI: Amid all the gloom about chaotic preparations for the Commonwealth Games, there was at least one silver lining: the widespread applause for the "world class" Games Village at its soft launch on September 16. Unfortunately, the Organising Committee has run into a rude reality check even on this front.

New Zealand, Canada, Scotland and Ireland have objected strongly to the condition of the accommodation given to them, say highly placed sources. The reason - lack of maintenance of apartments in the towers allotted to these teams and their abysmal, "unliveable" condition, say team delegates. Toilets in particular are said to be in a "mess".

Sources said the apartments, which are left unlocked through the day and night, were found to be dirty. In some flats, labourers had defecated. In others, fixtures and other facilities were still to be provided. Though athletes are to start moving in after September 23, work in just 18 of the 34 towers is said to be complete. The advance teams are reportedly of the view that the remaining work is not likely to get over for weeks.

The delegates are learnt to have told the OC that unless the apartments are set right, their teams should be put up in a Games Family hotel - the Ashoka or Janpath - or some other accommodation. This could add to the OC's logistical problems.

1. Condition of Games Village has prompted delegates from New Zealand, Canada, Scotland and Ireland to issue ultimatum to OC

2. Apartments in towers allotted to these countries, especially Kiwis, filthy.

4. Site workers have been using the unlocked flats.

5. Toilets are stained, fixtures haven't been installed, don't work or are broken

6. Size of contingent: Canada 400, New Zealand 325, Scotland 300

7. Those happy with Village: Australia, England

source >> http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/sports/events-tournaments/commonwealth-games/top-stories/Commonwealth-Games-Village-unliveable-complain-four-countries/articleshow/6595540.cms