PALMER OUT TO SQUASH GOLD MEDAL HOODOO

July 28: Australian squash legend David Palmer will be aiming to add gold to his medal collection when he hits the court for his fourth and final Commonwealth Games in Delhi in October.

Palmer has won one silver and four bronze medals since he made his Commonwealth Games debut in Kuala Lumpur in 1998.

The 34-year-old from Lithgow in New South Wales will be desperate to clinch a gold medal before he calls time on a glittering career that has seen him reach number one in the world and win two world and four British Open titles.

He is joined in the men's team by Canberra's Stewart Boswell, Hobart's Aaron Frankcomb and northern New South Wales pair Cameron Pilley and Ryan Cuskelly.

The women's team will be led by world number nine Kasey Brown and also features New South Wales' Donna Urquhart, Lisa Camilleri from Tully in far north Queensland and Victorian duo Melody Francis and Amelia Pittock.

The 10-strong Australian team features a mixture of youth and experience, with four players having played in previous Games and six making their debut.

Boswell, 31, will be taking part in his third Commonwealth Games and has previously won two silver and one bronze medal, while Brown and Pittock also played in Melbourne.

"It's the perfect mix for a Commonwealth Games team," Australian head coach Bryon Davis said.

"David and Stewart have a wealth of experience and they will be great mentors for the younger players in particular."

The Commonwealth features a high proportion of the world's top squash players. England currently boasts the world's top ranked man in Nick Matthew, while Malaysia's Nicol David has been world number one for the past 48 months.

England has enjoyed a resurgence since Melbourne and will provide Australia's stiffest opposition, while Malaysia, New Zealand and Pakistan are also dangerous.

Host nation India will also be hard to beat, particularly in the women's doubles.

"Squash is growing rapidly in many Commonwealth countries and the Commonwealth Games competition is getting stronger than ever," ACGA Chief Executive Officer Perry Crosswhite said.

"We know England will be strong, but the medals could come from any number of countries.

"Australian squash has been one of our success stories since it was first introduced and I am confident the 2010 team will provide some more highlights this time around."

Squash made its first appearance at the Commonwealth Games in Kuala Lumpur in 1998 and in just three editions of the Games, Australia has won 22 medals, six gold, seven silver and nine bronze.

Australia has a perfect record in the women's singles competition, a theme Kasey Brown and Donna Urquhart will hope to continue.

In Kuala Lumpur, two of the world's greatest squash players battled it out for the inaugural women's singles gold medal. Michelle Martin was the victor on this occasion defeating fellow Australian Sarah Fitz-Gerald in the final. Martin also teamed up with Craig Rowland in the mixed doubles to win her second gold of the 1998 Games.

Fitz-Gerald won her singles gold medal four years later in Manchester.

Natalie Grinham continued the theme in Melbourne adding three more gold medals to Australia's tally. Grinham defeated her sister Rachael in the women's singles final, and then the pair teamed up to take out the women's doubles gold. The Queenslander then combined with Joseph Kneipp to win the mixed doubles.

The Delhi 2010 squash competition will feature five events - singles (men and women), doubles (men and women) and mixed doubles at the Siri Fort Sports Complex from 4 -13 October 2010.

Australia's doubles combinations will be named following the Australian doubles invitational tournament in Melbourne from August 17-19.

 2010 Australian Commonwealth Games squash team

Stewart Boswell	31	ACT
Ryan Cuskelly	22	NSW
Aaron Frankcomb	25	Tas
David Palmer	34	NSW
Cameron Pilley	27	NSW
Kasey Brown	24	NSW
Lisa Camilleri	27	Qld
Melody Francis	21	Vic
Amelia Pittock	27	Vic
Donna Urquhart	23	NSW

Press release ssued by ACGA