Oh, yell tak the high road, and Ill tak the low road, And Ill get to Scotland afore ye; Famous lines from a famous song (The Bonnie Banks of Loch Lomond)...but from every corner of the World athletes, officials, families and supporters have been heading for Scotland and the biggest sporting event in UK since The London Olympics.... The Commonwealth Games....and tonight is The Official Opening Ceremony. Around 6,500 athletes and officials from 71 nations and territories have gathered in Glasgow for the 20th edition of the Commonwealth Games. Scotland is staging the Commonwealth Games for a third time, after Edinburgh played host in 1970 and 1986. The first Games were held in 1930 in Hamilton, Canada, where 400 athletes from 11 countries took part in 59 events across six sports. More than 10 times that number of athletes will compete in Glasgow, chasing gold medals in 261 events across 18 sports. And they are coming from as far afield as Anguilla, Australia, Mauritius, Falkland islands, Canada, Tristan Da Cuna and The Cook Islands. Even Guernsey,The Isle of Man, and Jersey are represented. Teams range widely in size.... just one competitor is representing Brunei , whilst the biggest squads are coming from Australia (417) and England (416). Only six teams have attended every Games: Australia, Canada, England, New Zealand, Scotland and Wales. Big names to watch our for include Jamaican sprinter Usain Bolt (4x100m relay); Englands Mo Farah ( 5,000m and 10,000m); Jamaican sprinter Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce( 100m); cyclist Sir Bradley Wiggins ( team pursuit) and diver Tom Daley. But notable absentees will be 2012 Olympic champion and former world champion Jessica Ennis-Hill ; Olympic silver medallist in 100m and 200m and former 100m world champion Yohan Blake; cyclists Mark Cavendish (Isle of Man) and Becky James (Wales) ; and Englands Katarina Johnson-Thompson,gold medallist at 2012 World Junior Championships. But we are set for a spectacular 11 days of action. Events get under way on Thursday following tonights opening extravaganza at Celtic Park. The competition will be fierce...and no doubt there will be dramas and tears in victory as well as in defeat. But in the words of Sir Chris Hoy.... Glasgow will deliver the biggest and best Commonwealth Games weve ever seen. Bring it on !! Looks like well all be singing Flower of Scotland....
Posted on: Wed, 23 Jul 2014 02:22:47 +0000
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