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GLASGOW: Indian fans wave their national flag and cheer as they wait for the opening ceremony for the 2014 in Glasgow, Scotland, yesterday. (Inset) A young boy with the flag of Scotland painted on his face smiles for the camera as he waits with his family for the opening ceremony for the Commonwealth Games 2014 in Glasgow, Scotland, yesterday. — AP Bolt, Farah, Wiggins to add Commonwealth sparkle

GLASGOW: Sporting household names running as part of the Jamaican 4x100m Ann Fraser-Pryce also only competing in the combined with a desire to return to the Glasgow. such as Usain Bolt, Mo Farah and Bradley relay team as he missed his national cham- 4x100m relay, Trinidad and Tobago’s track at the Rio 2016 Olympics, means Australia are expected to dominate in the Wiggins will add some welcome sparkle to pionships which served as the selection Michelle-Lee Ahye is the strong favourite for Wiggins has been fully focused on the velo- pool with 100m freestyle world champions the 20th Commonwealth Games that get meeting for the Commonwealth Games due the women’s 100m as she is yet to be beat- drome in recent months. James Magnussen and Cate Campbell both under way in Glasgow yesterday. to injury. en this year. He had initially been mulling over a com- taking part. The biggest ever multi-sport event to Bolt said he didn’t want to take the place The heptathlon has been stripped of its bined programme of track and road, with South Africa will also be well represented take place in Scotland will see more than of any athlete who had qualified for an indi- two outstanding stars, firstly Jessica Ennis the , , time- at the Tollcross Park Aquatics Centre by 4,000 athletes from 71 nations, 53 of which vidual event, but would be available for due to the recent birth of her first child and trial and road race all options for him. Olympic and world champions Chad le Clos make up the Commonwealth of Nations - selection as part of the relay team. then English teammate Katarina Johnson- But he will only contest the team pursuit and Cameron van der Burgh. the rest made up of British overseas territo- “I have received lots of requests, invita- Thompson through injury. in Glasgow, in a bid to prevent spreading The diving event will take place in the ries or dependencies, take part in 17 sports tions and messages of support from my fans Away from track and field, the Tour de himself too thinly. Royal Commonwealth Pool in Edinburgh, over 11 days, with 261 medals up for grabs. in Scotland who are looking forward to a France’s loss with be the Commonwealth “The plan was to come in and do pretty which held events at the two editions of the With the background of a September 18 great event,” he said. Games’ gain as Wiggins will represent much most of the events, (but) with hind- Games held in the Scottish capital in 1970 referendum on Scottish independence, the Double world and Olympic champion in the Sir Chris Hoy velodrome in sight, I thought just focus on the Olympic and 1986, with England’s Tom Daley the star Games will officially be opened by Queen Farah is confident of being fit to run both the 4,000m team pursuit on Thursday. event rather than try to be too greedy,” attraction. Elizabeth II at a lavish ceremony in Celtic the 5,000m and 10,000m despite pulling Wiggins said. And there will also be a world class field Park later Wednesday that will enjoy an esti- out of the Diamond League event in Meares target Fellow Olympic champions Jason Kenny, on show in the rugby sevens event at Ibrox mated television audience of one billion Glasgow due to abdominal pains. Wiggins has become a global star since Laura Trott and will also line on July 26 and 27. viewers. Kenya’s world 800m record holder David he last competed at the Commonwealth up for England. Seven of the top eight ranked teams in Attention will then turn to the action Rudisha will be hotly tipped in the two-lap Games in 2002, with four Olympic gold Anna Meares will be hoping to defend the world will be competing, but two-time itself with Bolt, arguably world sport’s race but will not have it his own way given medals and victory in the 2012 Tour de the three Commonwealth golds she won Commonwealth Games silver medallists Fiji biggest star, looking to add Commonwealth the electric form of Botswana’s Nijel Amos, France making him arguably the most four years ago in New Delhi and can surpass will not be present as their suspension from gold to his six Olympic and eight World who recently beat the Kenyan into fifth in recognisable face in his sport. Kathy Watt as Australia’s most decorated the Games over military coup in 2006 was Championship gold medals. Monaco. But the controversial decision by Team Commonwealth Games cyclist of all time by lifted after the draw for the event had However, the 27-year-old will only be With two-time Olympic champion Shelly- Sky to stand him down from this year’s Tour, claiming at least two more medals in already taken place. — AFP Brownlee brothers bet on sibling rivalry for medals GLASGOW: The Brownlee brothers, Alistair and Jonathan, are bet- and everything’s gone as well as I could have hoped.” ting on an intense sibling rivalry in their drive for a top-of-the- Fresh from high-altitude training in St Moritz, Brownlee said podium finish in the triathlon at the Commonwealth Games the siblings’ joint podium showing under pressure at the today. Olympics could hold them in good stead for action in Scotland. The Leeds-based siblings, their own harshest critics who often “It’s not unfamiliar, London was very good practice for that,” he work together in races, are the hot favourites over the Olympic said. “I don’t think I’m ever going to experience pressure like that distance course that begins with a 1.5km swim over two laps of again so after that everything feels easier. Strathclyde Loch before a 40km cycle and a 10km run. “We will go into it as favourites and I quite like that position.” Alistair Brownlee will be out to add Commonwealth gold to his Triathlon is returning to the Commonwealth Games programme Olympic gold won in London in 2012, with triumphs in the World for the first time since 2006, having made its debut at Triathlon Series in 2011 and 2013 sandwiching that victory. 2002 when Canadian duo Carol Montgomery and Brownlee senior warmed up for the Glasgow Games with vic- Simon Whitfield won women’s and men’s gold. tory in the Triathlon World Series event in Hamburg earlier this While the men’s event is headlined as a battle of the month, winning ahead of France’s Vincent Luis and Jonny Brownlees, the women’s individual race promises to have several Brownlee, in third. contenders vying for gold. “This season has been about the Commonwealth Games for New Zealand’s Andrea Hewitt claimed bronze the last time the me, so I’m happy that I’m fit now,” Alistair Brownlee said after his triathlon took place at the Games and she also holds a silver from win in Germany following an injury-disrupted season in which he the 2011 World Triathlon Series and bronzes from the 2009 and also managed to claim the European title. 2012 editions. “It’s a tough course,” Brownlee told British media of the She will likely be up against England’s Jodie Stimpson, a silver Strathclyde Triathlon Course southeast of Glasgow. medal winner in the World Triathlon Series in 2013. “There’s nothing particularly hard on it but nothing easy either. Saturday sees the triathletes back in action, albeit in the sprint It’ll be a really tough, honest race I think. That’s the kind of race I distance mixed team relay, an event that makes its Games debut. EUGENE: Anezka Drahotova of the Czech Republic poses in front of the clock after setting a new junior world record in the like to do so I’m looking forward to it. Teams featuring two men and two women will each swim one women’s 10,000m race walk during day two of the IAAF World Junior Championships at Hayward Field yesterdayin Eugene, “I can’t complain about my shape at all. I’ve done some of the 250m lap of the loch before embarking on a 6km cycle and a Oregon. — AFP best training I’ve done in a long time so I’m really happy about it 1.6km run. — AFP