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GLASGOW -- Chantal Petitclerc has watched the Maple Leaf go up to the sounds of O Canada countless times over her illustrious 20-year career as a wheelchair racer. wholesale jerseys . Monday afternoon, she wore the smile of a proud parent when the Canadian team marched in for the traditional flag-raising ceremony at the Commonwealth Games athletes village. "Its really an amazing experience being here, watching the athletes getting ready," Petitclerc said. "Ive been retired six years now, so its enough distance to actually know what its like, but not wanting to be there myself because Ive done it, but really wishing the best for all of them." The 44-year-old, who won 21 Paralympic medals including 14 gold, is Canadas chef de mission in Glasgow. She led some 100 Canadian athletes plus coaches and staff members into Mondays welcome ceremony. "Its a very new feeling for me, because as you know athletes can be very egocentric. So after 20 years of thinking about myself and my own performance, it is a great feeling caring and wanting the best for all the other athletes," Petitclerc said. Canada is fielding a team of 265 athletes for the Games, and those in attendance Monday, decked out in their white and red Canada T-shirts and white track pants, were all smiles as the Canadian flag was raised and O Canada played. Bal Gosal, Canadas sports minister, greeted the athletes with a handshake. The festive ceremony on a sun-drenched afternoon featured a performance by young singers and dancers, some with fiddles and guitars. Susan Nattrass, a veteran of six Olympics and now five Commonwealth Games, will carry Canadas flag into Wednesdays opening ceremonies. She took the opportunity to mingle with her teammates. "Its such an honour and you want to be very appreciative. And then you also really encourage everyone to enjoy it," Nattrass said. "Its fun. I was talking to the (lawn) bowlers today. And the rugby guys. Its really fun and its really interesting to see and meet with people and hear of their experiences." The athletes village, which sits in the shadow of Celtic Park -- normally home to Celtic FC soccer club and the venue for Wednesdays opening ceremonies -- was abuzz with athletes milling about at the nearby shopping area and hair and nail salon. "Were really excited. The village has been great -- feels like youre at home," said Kate Gillis, captain of Canadas womens field hockey team. The positive vibe was a departure from four years ago when organizers were still rushing to finish the athletes village -- amid complaints of unsanitary conditions -- and sports venues at the Games in New Delhi. An outbreak of norovirus, a highly contagious gastrointestinal illness, made headlines in Glasgow last week after 53 employees at the athletes village fell ill. But Glasgow officials said the virus was under control, and shut down a temporary toilet facility that was identified as the likely source of the bug. Preparation for Glasgow has been otherwise smooth sailing. There have been no grumblings about venue construction, tickets are sold out for many events, and the athletes have raved about the athletes village. The only minor concern has been about the weather in a country known almost as much for its soggy conditions as its Scotch and its shortbread. But there was no rain in sight Monday as temperatures reached 22 C. And the forecast is even brighter, calling for sunny skies and temperatures that could soar as 26 this week. The Games feature some 4,500 athletes competing in 17 sports over 11 days. Its the only fully integrated major Games, with 22 Paralympic events in five sports. Petitclerc, who carried Canadas flag into the opening ceremonies at the 2006 Games in Melbourne, Australia, won gold over 800 metres at the 2002 Games -- when Paralympic sports were given official status -- and then again in 2006. The welcome ceremony, she said, represented the "last countdown" before the athletes competitions begin. "So every athlete is really trying to focus on their event and getting a little bit of butterflies, so its a very important moment," she said. "At this point, physically, theres not much they can do except for resting, so it becomes a mental situation where youre really trying to find that good place in your head and just be good. "Thats how the village and the team is important because it can provide a home away from home." The Canadian teams goal is to reclaim its traditional spot among the top three in the medal table after finishing fourth four years ago in New Delhi behind Australia, England and host India. Canada claimed 76 total medals in 2010, including 26 gold, 17 silver and 33 bronze. cheap jerseys . -- As usual, Aksel Lund Svindal was super fast on this hill. nfl jerseys china . Though the Jets have not confirmed any updates to Scheifeles status, TSN Hockey Analyst Aaron Ward says early reports indicate he suffered an MCL injury and will likely out 6-8 weeks.PHOENIX -- Trevor Cahill pitched seven effective innings to win for the first time in nearly four months. Normally, it would have been the story of the night. Instead, it became a side note to Arizonas hitting display and Colorados side show. David Peralta hit a grand slam and Arizona tied a team record with eight hits in a nine-run eighth inning, turning what had been a close game into a 14-4 laugher over the bumbling Colorado Rockies on Saturday night. "Hitting is contagious," Arizonas Cliff Pennington said. "Its just one of those where guys get a couple of hits, you feel good and things start to roll." It just took a little while to get there. Cahill (2-8) did his job, overcoming a shaky defensive first inning by the Diamondbacks to win for the first time since April 23. Jorge De La Rosa (11-8) settled down after giving up a three-run homer to Mark Trumbo in the third inning and Nolan Arenado, who had three RBIs, pulled Colorado within a run on a solo homer in the eighth. By the time the bottom half was over, the Diamondbacks bats had exploded and the Rockies had imploded. The Rockies had two errors, a wild pitch and a passed ball in the inning. They also walked in a run. The Diamondbacks fed off their mistakes and each other, lashing balls all over Chase Field. Arizona had 15 hits, including seven for extra bases. Trumbo finished with four RBIs. Alfredo Marte added a solo homer. Pennington had three hits and scored four runs. Peralta, who had a run-scoring double in the first inning, put a big punctuation mark on the inning, sending his first career grand slam over the pool in right-centre, leaving even the home fans a bit stunned. When Rockies manager Walt Weiss called a team meeting before the game, this probably wasnt the kind of response he was expecting. "I didnt say abracadabra or anything," said Weiss, whose team has lost eight of nine. "I didnt say any magic words. I just tried to give them some perspective on where we are at." After shaky start to the season, Cahill had pitched well lately, but Saturdays game got off to an ominous start. Colorado scored a run in the first inning when Marte misplayed Arenados double in the left corner and CCahill dropped a throw from Trumbo at first to allow another run to come across.cheap jerseys from china. Cahill was sharp after that, allowing three runs on four hits and struck out seven for his first win as a starter since last Sept. 21 at Colorado. "Anytime if Im pitching and the team wins, its a good day," Cahill said. "It felt good." The Rockies pulled within a run on Arenados homer in the eighth inning, but his throw to home on Trumbos chopper in the bottom half sailed high for an error, allowing two runs to score. Arizona poured it on from there, compounding Colorados mistakes by knocking the ball around the park. HOT PERALTA Peralta was called up on June 1 and immediately started hitting. He hasnt really stopped. The rookie has set a club record with 67 hits through his first 56 games and has had at least two hits 25 times. He also became the first Diamondbacks rookie with at least five RBIs in a game since Mark Reynolds on Aug. 30, 2007 at San Diego. DE LA ROSAS START De La Rosa had a couple of shaky moments early, giving up Peraltas run-scoring double in the first inning and Trumbos homer in the third. The left-hander settled in after that, giving up four runs on six hits in six innings. "He always goes out and puts us in positions to win games and that is what I thought he did tonight," Weiss said. BIG INNING The Diamondbacks had eight hits in an inning eight other times, most recently on May 28 in the first against San Diego. The nine runs tied for second-most in team history behind a 13-run inning against Pittsburgh in 2010. TRAINING ROOM Rockies: RF Michael Cuddyer, out since fracturing his shoulder on June 5, went 1 for 3 with an RBI for rookie-level Grand Junction in his latest rehab game. He is 6 for 10 with three doubles and four RBIs in three rehab games. Diamondbacks: SS Chris Owings tested his bruised shoulder with 30 swings in the batting cage and is hoping to progress to a simulated game. UP NEXT Rockies: Franklin Morales, who will start the series final on Sunday, has held left-handers to a .232 average. Diamondbacks: LHP Wade Miley had his worst start of the season his last time out, allowing 10 runs in 4 2-3 innings against Kansas City on Aug. 5. cheap jerseys ' ' ' |
