Family Affairs in Delhi

Family Affairs in Delhi Delhi – 6 October 2010   The SNELLS and HOWELLS have come to the Commonwealth Games Delhi 2010 in force and they enjoy it very much together!   The SNELLS and HOWELLS are two of the families present in New Delhi! There are also for instance the WILLIAMSONS father (team official) and daughter (the 2004 Olympic bronze medallist Alison) as well as the brothers from Bangladesh HAQUE/HOC, whom we will cover in another story.   Norfolk Islanders savour the Games experience For husband and wife Jonathan and Joanne SNELL (NFK), the experience of competing in a modern archery stadium at the Commonwealth Games is a far cry from their training ground back in Norfolk Island - a cattle paddock.   "It has been really amazing here. Absolutely amazing," said Jonathan, 39.   "Our little island is 1,500 people. It's only three miles by five miles big. We only have eight archers in our country, and five of them are here.   "We shoot in a cattle paddock at home. I kid you not. Every now and then between ends you have to run up to the targets and chase the cows away."   As well as the SNELLS, the Norfolk Island team includes Jonathan's best man, Michael GRAHAM, and family friends Robert KEMP and Rosa FORD.   "It was a real family affair," said Jonathan. "We've all grown up together and fallen in love together.   GRAHAM's mother Lurline GRAHAM was set to compete but pulled out due to commitments at home.   Even the SNELLS' son Croyden, seven, has been shooting a children's bow since he was two-and-a-half. They also have a daughter Timi, one.   All the Norfolk Island archers were eliminated from the Individual Compound event on Tuesday but will try their luck in the Team event on Wednesday.   Jonathan said: "This is only my third major tournament. I came and I've got nothing to lose. I'm not one of the big guns, so there's no pressure on us. But the other competitors have been so kind to us. England have said to us, 'Whatever you want, come to us'."   Welsh pair leaves opponents seeing double For archery twins Janette and Jeanette HOWELLS (WAL), the Delhi 2010 Commonwealth Games is a "magic" that has strengthened the spirit of their team, but also the love between two siblings.   Known to one another as "Jan" and "Jean", the 48-year-olds say their team camaraderie alone should earn them a podium spot.   "The main thing that we have found from archery is friendship. We are a friendship team," said Janette, a legal executive for a solicitor.   "It's wonderful to be here. And we don't know if we'll get another chance after this really, I'll say without mentioning our age.   "The last Commonwealth Games that included archery were in 1982, and Compound is not a part of the Olympics."   And while the pair's appearance is startlingly identical, even more uncanny are their full names of Janette Doreen HOWELLS and Jeanette Doreen HOWELLS.   "My father was a bit drunk when he named us I think, he must have been," Jeanette said. Janette added: "Or perhaps he just stuttered.   "Before we were born our parents had two little girls who died. So when the two of us came along we got a bit spoilt," she said.   The sisters were introduced to archery 22 years ago when their brother Jerry introduced them to their local club, the Pentref Bowmen.   Janette competes in the Individual quarter-finals on Saturday and both start the Compound Team event on Wednesday.   World Archery Communication Source GNS Commonwealth Games