To find out when our local sports men and women are competing click on the link to BBC Sport Commonwealth website on the right. And to find out all the latest news from our local competitors click on the link to Sports News! Beth Tweddle - Gymnastics
 | | Elizabeth Tweddle - Netball |
Gymnast and student Beth Tweddle takes part in the "artistic" section of gymnastics, and will turn 21 just after the Games. Based in the tiny village of Bunbury in Cheshire. Beth's results, especially her bronze medal at the 2003 World Championships in Anaheim (USA) and her silver medal at the 2004 European Championships in Amsterdam, have put her name firmly on the list of potential British greats.
 | | Steven Lewis - Pole Vault |
Fact: She was British Young Sports Personality of the Year in 2002. Listen to our interview with Beth by clicking on the link on the right of this page. Steven Lewis - Pole Vault Steven Lewis is 20 and from Lightoaks in Stoke-on-Trent. He attended Newcastle College before studying at Loughborough University, where he continued his training. Only hours after sitting his last A level exam, Steven was representing Great Britain in the World Championships in Italy.
 | | Emma Jones - Cycling. |
Lewis was British Junior Pole Vaulting Champion when he was only 18 and recently won the 3a senior title in Pole Vaulting in Vienna in February 2006, with a personal best of 5.4 metres. 19 year-old Steven Lewis said he only took up Pole Vaulting because he was too tall for gymnastics! Emma Davies Jones - Cycling Emma is 25 years old and lives in Alsager in Stoke-on-Trent. She is a full time lottery funded professional cyclist. She says that she was advised to forget about cycling and concentrate on a proper job when she was younger, but her dreams of being an athlete led her to be a double Olympic competitor (2000 & 2004)! Emma Jones suffered a broken back after she was hit by a car while out training in Manchester last in October 2005, she has recovered in time for the Melbourne games and will compete at the velodrome hoping to help compatriot Nikki Harris to win a medal in the points race. She says she is just grateful to be competing at all. Listen to our interview with Emma by clicking on the link on the right of this page. Shanaze Reade, 17, from Crewe, BMX
 | | Kate Dennison - Pole vault |
Born in 1988, Shanaze (you pronounce it Shan-aze) Reade is a teenage girl from Crewe who started riding when she was just 10 years old, and who who has won the British and European championships at BMX racing in her age-groups. At only thirteen, she competed in the world championships in Kentucky. During 2005, she was ranked number two in the sport in Britain, but missed the World Championships because of injury. In 2003 Shanaze was tipped by the Sunday Times Rich List project to be worth £3m by the year 2020! Kate Dennison - Pole vault
 | | Tracy Hallam - Badminton |
The South African-born Kate Dennison, who competes with the Sale Harriers Manchester club, is coached by Steve Rippon at Loughborough University. She recently smashed the British Under-23 Pole Vault record, while in Australia preparing for the Games. The 21-year-old AAA indoor champion set a superb new mark of 4.30m, and moves her to second place above Zoe Brown on the UK all-time list. Kate, who was born in 1984, is based in Alsager and used to compete for the City of Stoke club Tracey Hallam - Badminton
 | | Olivia Murphy - Netball |
English National Badminton Champion Tracy Hallam is from Burton, and will compete in the women's singles. She told us:: "We've got a strong team and I hope we can get team gold. In the individual I got silver in Manchester 2002 so I hope to go one better this time." Tracey is the world No.9 and came so close in the World Badminton Championships in Anaheim last year reaching the quarter-finals. She will be 31 this year and is left-handed! Olivia Murphy - Netball Olivia is from Burton upon Trent and is 28 years old. She plays in Centre Court position and is Captain of the England Team. She won bronze at the Commonwealth Games in Kuala Lumpur in 1998 and was also part of the England squad which finished fourth in Manchester in 2002 and has a massive 74 Caps. Terri Dunning - Swimming 21 year old Terri is a student from Hednesford in Staffordshire. She first represented GB in the 1999 Youth Olympics and says her finest sporting moment (before the Commonwealths!) was breaking the British record in the 100m butterfly at the European SC Championships in Trieste (2005) Terri likes playing football as well as swimming, she enjoys shopping and going to the cinema - and the celebrity she would most like to meet is Brad Pitt! She says that her family have been the biggest influence no her career and when asked for her biggest tip she said: "The will to win is the will to prepare to win. The harder you work, the sweeter the victory."
 | | Scott Cordon - Hockey |
Listen to the interview with Terri's coach by clicking on the link on the right of this page. Hockey, hockey, hockey! Cannock Hockey Club is one of the most successful clubs in recent English competition, and is presently riding high in Europe, so it's not surprising it has supplied a number of players for the games. Scott Cordon Scott Cordon is a teacher from Newcastle Under Lyme. He is one of the senior players at the age of 27, and at one stage in his career also played for Leek in Staffordshire.
 | | Barry Middleton, Hockey. |
He first played for England in 2001 and has 29 Caps for England. Fact: His nickname is Flipper! Barry Middleton 22 year old student, Barry Middleton is one of this country's top players. He has over 100 caps for his country in total, even though his international debut was only in April 2003!
 | | Martin Jones - Hockey |
Among his long list of accolades is the treble which he won with Cannock Hockey Club in 2005. Fact: his favourite food is Chocolate Martin Jones Martin Jones doesn't stray far from Staffordshire. His former clubs were Stone, and Warrington in Cheshire. Another experienced player he has over 50 caps for
England, as well as helping Cannock to an astonishing five Premier Division titles. Fact: He's known as The Whippet because of his speed. | 
