Lemoncello Withdraws
5 December 2005
Fife steeplechaser Andrew Lemoncello has decided to withdraw from the
Scottish team for next year's Commonwealth Games in Melbourne, Australia.

The 23-year-old, who is currently on an athletics scholarship at Florida State University in Tallahassee, has indicated that his college commitments and intentions to peak for next summer's European Championships have influenced his decision.

In the days prior to the Games commencing on 15th March, he has exams
and the National Collegiate Athletics Association Indoor Championships to undertake, giving him little or no time to acclimatise for Australia.

His training programme has also been structured to ensure that he will be able to compete at his absolute optimum during August, when the Europeans take place in Gothenburg, Sweden.

Lemoncello's Scottish coach Ron Morrison said:

" Myself and Andrew have discussed this at great length and whilst the Commonwealth Games are a very important competition, unfortunately they do not fit in with his educational demands and his training regime.

" He simply would not be able to acclimatise in order to perform at his best in Australia. We have to look at his career in the long-term and the European Championships fit in much better for him for this year. "

Athletics Team Manager Leslie Roy said:

" Whilst we are very disappointed that Andrew will now be unable to compete at the Commonwealth Games, we respect his decision and do not in any way wish to compromise his progress as one of our most promising athletes.

" We wish him well for 2006 and we are also sure that there be many more opportunities for a runner of his calibre to serve Scotland well at international level in the coming years.

" Although we will miss Andrew's presence on this occasion, we do still have an excellent team for Melbourne, where we expect to enjoy a very successful championship."

Paul Bush, Chef de Mission, 2006 Commonwealth Games Team said:

"We are disappointed that Andrew has decided to withdraw from next year' s Commonwealth Games. However, it is important that the whole Scottish team is in the best possible shape for Melbourne and undoubtedly the conflicting demands on Andrew would not enable him to do this. We wish him well."