First NSW athletes named for 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham for Australia

They are teenagers, mothers, veterans and debutants and will contest a multitude of different sports. NSW athletes named to compete at the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham.

Taha Ahmad, Tina Rahimi and Alex Winwood.

The countdown is on to one of the biggest sporting events in 2022 where Australian athletes plan to be major players.

The 2022 Commonwealth Games kick off in late July and run into August with 20 sports contested at the event being held in Birmingham, UK.

The opening ceremony takes place at the Alexander Stadium on July 28 with 72 countries expected to be represented.

The closing ceremony will be held on August 8.

Tina Rahimi poses during the Australian 2022 Commonwealth Games Boxing Team Announcement at Brotherhood Boxing Gym.

Australia is traditionally one of the success stories of the Games and 2022 is looking no different for the Aussies.

The Commonwealth Games Federation in April – 100 days out from the start – named the first team athletes with 11 weightlifters confirmed to travel to Birmingham on April 19.

Below are some of the first selections.

Australian Olympic boxer Kaye Scott (L) is heading to her third Games.

BOXING TEAM FOR BIRMINGHAM

The first woman to fight in a professional bout in NSW and the first Muslim female have been named onto the Commonwealth Games bound Australian boxing team.

NSW veteran Kaye Scott from Turramurra will be joined by Bankstown’s Tina Rahimi and Regent’s Park’s Taha Ahmad on the flight to Birmingham.

Scott, now 37, will join Tony Madigan as the only boxer to compete at three Commonwealth Games.

The Sydney boxer won bronze at the last Commonwealth Games on the Gold Coast while Rahimi and Ahmad are both debutants.

The team also boast Tokyo Olympian Alex Winwood, a flyweight and a Noongar man with seven siblings who began boxing at the age of 15.

South Australia’s Callum Peters at 19 is the youngest member of the Australian team.

Taha Ahmad, Tina Rahimi and Alex Winwood.

BIRMINGHAM 2022 BOXING TEAM

Kristy Harris, Women’s 50kg, 29, 2nd Games, Vic

Caitlin Parker, Women’s 75kg. 26, 2nd Games, Dromana VIC

Tina Rahimi, Women’s 57kg, 26, Debut, Bass Hill NSW

Kaye Scott, Women’s 69kg, 37, 3rd Games Turramurra

Taha Ahmad, Men’s 69kg, 21, Debut, Regents Park NSW

Edgard Coumi, Men’s 91kg, 26, Debut, Salisbury East SA

Billy McAllister, Men’s 81kg, 22, Debut, Enoggera, NSW

Callum Peters, Men’s 75kg, 19, Debut, Davoren Park SA

Billy Polkinghorn, Men’s 64kg, 25, Debut, Redcliffe WA

Charlie Senior, Men’s 56kg, 20, Debut, Butler WA 6036

Alex Winwood, Men’s 52kg, 24, Debut, Miami QLD

BIRMINGHAM 2022 PARA SWIM TEAM

Emily Beecroft, 100m Freestyle S9, 22 2nd (2018 - 4th: Women’s 100m Freestyle S9), TraralgonVIC

Ellie Cole, 100m Freestyle S9, 30, 3rd (2010 - Bronze: Women’s 100m Freestyle S9, Bronze: Women’s 100m Butterfly S9; 2018 - Silver: Women’s 100m Backstroke S9, Bronze: Women’s 100m Freestyle S9) Hornsby NSW

Katja Dedekind, 50m Freestyle S1, 32, Debut, Sippy Downs, QLD

Jasmine Greenwood, 200m Individual Medley SM10, 17, 2nd (2018 - 5th: Women’s 100m Breaststroke SB9, 5th: Women’s 200m Individual Medley SM10) Sussex Inlet, NSW

Kirralee Hayes, 50m Freestyle S13, 17, Debut, Deception Bay, QLD

Jenna Jones, 50m Freestyle S12, 21, Debut, Faulconbridge, NSW

Ella Jones, 100m Backstroke S8; 100m Breaststroke SB6, 21, Debut, Alstonville, NSW

Jade Lucy, 200m Freestyle S14, 25, Debut, Engadine, NSW

Ashleigh McConnell, 100m Freestyle S9, 26, 2nd (2018 - Bronze: Women’s 100m Backstroke S9) Sunbury, VIC

BEST SPORT FOR SOMEONE CLUMSY

Madeleine McTernan, 200m Freestyle S14, 21, Debut, Arundel, QLD

Lakeisha Patterson, 200m Individual Medley SM9, 23, 3rd (2014 - Bronze: Women’s 100m Freestyle S8; 2018 - Gold: Women’s 50m Freestyle S8, Gold: Women’s 100m Freestyle S9), Caboolture, QLD

Keira Stephens, 200m Individual Medley SM10, 19. Debut, Point Vernon, QLD

Isabella Vincent, 100m Backstroke S8, 16, Debut, Magill, SA

Blake Cochrane, 100m Breaststroke SB83, 14th (2010 - Bronze: Men’s 100m Freestyle S8; 2014 - Bronze: Men’s 200m Individual Medley S8; 2018 - Silver: Men’s 200m Individual Medley SM8, Bronze: Men’s 100m Breaststroke S8)Bli Bli, QLD

Timothy Disken, 100m Breaststroke SB8, 25, 2nd (2018 - Gold: Men’s 100m Freestyle S9,

Gold: Men’s 100m Breaststroke SB8) Glen Waverley, VIC

Brenden Hall 100m, Backstroke S9283rd (2014 - Bronze: Men’s 100m Freestyle S9; 2018 - Gold: Men’s 100m Backstroke S9, Bronze: Men’s 100m Freestyle S9) Mango Hill, QLD

Timothy Hodge, 100m Backstroke S9; Men’s 100m Breaststroke SB8212nd (2018 - Silver: Men’s 100m Backstroke S9, Silver: Men’s 100m Breaststroke SB8) Kings Langley, NSW

Braedan Jason, 50m Freestyle S12, 23, Debut, Sippy Downs, QLD

Matthew Levy, 50m Freestyle S7, 35, 2nd (2018 - Gold: Men’s 50m Freestyle) Northbridge, NSW

William Martin, 100m Butterfly S10, 21, Debut, Virginia, QLD

Joel Mundie, 50m Freestyle S7, 17, Debut, Edmonton, QLD

Col Pearse, 100m Butterfly S10, 18, Debut, Echuca, VIC

Alex Saffy, 100m Butterfly S10, 16, Debut, Dalyellup, WA

Liam Schluter, 200m Freestyle S14, 23, 2nd (2014 - Silver: Men’s 200m Freestyle S14) Minyama QLD

Oscar Stubbs, 50m Freestyle S13, 21, Debut, Glenwood, NSW

Jacob Templeton, 50m Freestyle S13, 26, Debut, Maroochydore, QLD

Harrison Vig, 100m Backstroke S9, 19, Debut, Norman Park, QLD

TABLE TENNIS TEAM FOR BIRMINGHAM

A team of six has been named with Sydney teenager Yangzi Liu to make her debut.

The 19-year-old joins the likes of Jian Fang Lay, a 49-year-old mother-of-two who has won seven Commonwealth Games medals since her debut for Australia in Manchester 20 years ago, on the team.

BIRMINGHAM 2022 TABLE TENNIS TEAM

Jian Fang Lay, 49, 6th Games, from Bundoora Vic.

Min Hyung Jee, 35, Debut, from Fortitude Valley QLD

Yangzi Liu, 19, Debut, Sydney, NSW

Dillon Chambers, 24, Debut, Mildura VIC

Nicholas Lum, 16, Debut, Glen Waverley VIC

Finn Luu, 17, Debu. North Melbourne

PARA TRIATHLON TEAM FOR BIRMINGHAM

Wollongong father-of-two Jonathan Goerlach has been named in the team for Birmingham with his guide David Mainwaring.

Also heading to the UK is Everest conqueror and chocolate maker Gerrard Gosens, a three-time Paralympian.

“The Commonwealth Games presents a unique opportunity,” said Goerlach, who also competed at the Tokyo games.

“There are so many athletes from around the world, with everyone treated equally. I really like the integrated environment with all para and able-bodied medals going on the medal tally.”

BIRMINGHAM 2022 PARA-TRIATHLON TEAM

Erica Burleigh, Women’s PTVI, 39, Debut, Kingston, TAS

Felicity Cradick, Women’s PTVI (Guide), 19, Debut, Jamboree Heights, QLD

Jonathan Goerlach, Men’s PTVI, 39, Debut, Bellambi, NSW

David Mainwaring, Men’s PTVI (Guide) 31, Debut, Wollongong, NSW

Gerrard Gosens, Men’s PTVI, 52, Debut, Graceville, QLD,

Hayden Armstrong, Men’s PTVI (Guide), 43, Debut, Rosny, TAS

Sam Harding, Men’s PTVI, 30, Debut, Bruce, ACT

Luke Harvey, Men’s PTVI (Guide), 22, Debut, Victoria Point, QLD

Ridge Barredo is one of numerous NSW athletes in the weightlifting team.

WEIGHTLIFTING TEAM FOR BIRMINGHAM

Australia will field an 11-strong team in Birmingham with four members hailing from NSW and chasing medals in an assortment of classes.

NSW’s Eileen Cikamatana, who trains in Melbourne, is our youngest lifter at 22 but after a mighty big piece of sporting history as the first woman to win two gold for two different countries after competing for Fiji in 2018.

Sydney’s Kyle Bruce and Jackson Young are both making their Commonwealth Games debuts while teammate Ridge Barredo compete don the Gild Coast four years ago.

In total 16 gold medals are up for grabs in Birmingham.

Australia is a leading nation in the sport at the Commonwealth Games level with 58 previous golds.

Celebration of 100 days until Birmingham 2022 with the first Australian team announcement - the weightlifters.

NSW WEIGHLIFTERS AT COMMONWEALTH GAMES

Kyle Bruce, competing in the men’s 81kg, 22, debut, hails from Lidcombe

Jackson Young, competing in the men’s 109kg, 25, debut, hails from Kirrawee NSW

Ridge Barredo, men’s 96kg, 26, 2nd Games (2018, 8th 105kg) hails from Menai.

Eileen Cikamatana, women’s 87kg, 22, 2nd Games (2018 Representing Fiji). Hails from Sydney but trains in Victoria

MORE TEAMS TO COME

Originally published as First NSW athletes named for 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham for Australia