Ten to watch in Glasgow, Scotland.
Canada’s young stars ready to take on the Commonwealth’s best
A look at Canadian athletes to watch at the Commonwealth Games, which open Wednesday in Glasgow, Scotland:
Ryan Cochrane, Swimming
At 25, the Victoria native is the elder statesman on a young Canadian swim team and will be expected to reach the podium in his third — and likely final — Commonwealth Games. A two-time Olympic medallist, Cochrane won both the 400- and 1,500-metre freestyle four years ago at the Commonwealth Games in New Delhi. Cochrane has six career world championship medals and is looking for more Olympic hardware in 2016.
Derek Drouin, High Jump
The 24-year-old from Corunna, Ont., won bronze at the 2012 London Olympics and again at the 2013 world championships in Moscow. This season, Drouin improved the Canadian high jump record when he became just the 10th man in history to surpass the 2.40-metre mark.
Jennifer Abel, Diving
The 22-year-old from Laval, Que., was a bronze medallist in three-metre synchronized diving at the 2012 Olympics with former partner Emilie Heymans, and again at last year’s world championships with Pamela Ware. Abel, who will again compete alongside Ware, won gold in the one- and three-metre individual events — as well as a silver with Heymans in the three-metre synchro — at the Commonwealth Games four years ago.
Roseline Filion and Meaghan Benfeito, Synchronized Diving
Filion, 27, and Benfeito, 25, won bronze in 10-metre synchro diving at the 2012 Olympics, and again at the 2013 world championships. Filion, from Laval, Que., and Montreal’s Benfeito have had a strong season on the FINA circuit and are contenders for the top of the podium in Scotland.
Brittany MacLean, Swimming
The 20-year-old from Toronto won the 200-, 400and 800-metre freestyle gold medals at the Canadian trials in April, setting a national record in the 800 in the process. MacLean finished seventh in the 400 metres at the 2012 Olympics as an 18-yearold and could make a breakthrough in Glasgow.
Damian Warner, Decathlon
The London, Ont., native finished fifth in his Olympic debut two years ago, but improved on that with a bronze-medal performance at the 2013 world championships. The 24-year-old could wind up even higher in Scotland because both men who finished ahead of him at the world championships are from non-Commonwealth countries.
Brianne Theisen-Eaton, Heptathlon
The 25-year-old from Humboldt, Sask., was second at last year’s world championships and set a Canadian record in the heptathlon last month. Theisen-Eaton’s score at the recent event in Austria would have placed her third at the London Olympics.
Ariane Fortin, Boxing
The two-time world champion will compete in the 75-kilogram category at the Games. A 30-year-old from St-Nicholas, Que., Fortin is also a seven-time Canadian women’s national champion. She won six straight titles from 2005 to 2010 before reclaiming her crown last year.
Conor Trainor, Rugby Sevens
The 25-year-old from Vancouver scored a highlight-reel try for Canada at the Glasgow Sevens tournament in May. Canada made its first-ever final at that event and will be looking to build on the performance at the Commonwealth Games.
Marie-Eve Beauchemin-Nadeau, Weightlifting
T he Montrea l native claimed silver in the 75-kilogram category at the 2010 Commonwealth Games before finishing eighth in the 69-kilogram category at the 2012 Olympics. The 25-yearold is back competing at 75 kilograms