Paralympian Peter Leek to Miss Commonwealth Games Due to Glandular Fever

BELCONNEN, Australia, September 22. TRIPLE Paralympic gold medallist in Beijing Peter Leek has had to withdraw from the upcoming 2010 Delhi Commonwealth Games due to illness.

The 21-year-old, who recently returned from the IPC World Championships in the Netherlands with five gold medals and one silver medal, has been battling glandular fever for more than three weeks and has not been able to prepare as required.

Based at the AIS where he is coached by Graeme Carroll, Leek won a total of eight medals at the Beijing Paralympics (3 gold, 4 silver, 1 bronze) and was a member of the all-conquering men's 4x100m freestyle relay team in the Netherlands last month.

The Law student says it has been difficult not being able to train and prepare as he would have liked leading into the Commonwealth Games, but the long-term focus is London.

"It's disappointing not to be going to Delhi, but it's a decision I've made based on my health at the moment and the long-term plan of performing well at the Paralympics in London in 2012," said Leek.

"I was really happy with the way I swam at the IPC World Champs, and while I'm recovering well from the glandular fever, I'm not nearly as prepared as I should be, and have made the decision not to go."

Leek who has cerebral palsy was to be one of the form Para-Sport Australian swimmers competing in Delhi with Ben Austin, Blake Cochrane, Matthew Cowdrey, Andrew Pasterfield, Ellie Cole and Annabelle Williams now all set to compete across the ten events for men and women.

"Peter broke three world records at the IPC World Champs, but didn't feel right at the end of the meet, and hasn't been well since," said Carroll.

"He finished that meet as the number 1 swimmer in the world in his classification, and while he won't get to swim in Delhi, the focus really has to be on London and doing everything we can to ensure he can swim just as well there."

The now 52-strong Australian Swim Team will leave for a Training Camp in Kuala Lumpur this Friday and Saturday, before arriving in Delhi on Friday 29 September.

The above article is a press release submitted to Swimming World Magazine. It has been posted in its entirety without editing. Swimming World offers all outlets the chance to reach our audience by contacting us at Newsmaster@swimmingworldmagazine.com. However, Swimming World reserves the right to choose what material is posted.

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