Thousands of the world’s best athletes have descended on Birmingham for the 2022 Commonwealth Games.
It comes less than a year after a delayed Tokyo Olympics, which was impacted by the COVID pandemic.
The Commonwealth Games are going ahead as planned with organisers managing to dodge any major virus-related postponements.
Here’s what you need to know before the Games start.
Where are the 2022 Commonwealth Games being held?
Birmingham in England is the host city for this year’s Commonwealth Games.
There are more than a dozen venues, and it all begins and ends with the opening and closing ceremonies at Alexander Stadium in the city’s north.
How can I watch the Commonwealth Games in Australia?
The Games will be live on Channel 7 and 7plus.
You’ll need to create an account to stream on 7plus, but it’s free to create one.
When is the opening ceremony?
Very, very early in the morning, if you’re watching from Australia.
The opening ceremony is scheduled for Thursday, July 28 in Birmingham.
The main broadcast on Channel 7 begins at 4:45am AEST on Friday, July 29 — so don’t forget to set your alarm!
When does the sport start?
For Australian viewers, you’ll start to see the athletes in action on the evening of Friday, July 29.
That’s Friday morning in Birmingham.
Sports featured on the schedule for day one include:
- Swimming
- Hockey
- 3×3 basketball
- Rugby sevens
- Artistic gymnastics
- Cricket
- Table tennis
- Track cycling
- Lawn bowls
- Badminton
- Boxing
- Triathlon
- Netball
- Squash
How many countries are competing?
There are 72 nations represented at the 2022 Commonwealth Games.
That’s well over 4,000 athletes from Commonwealth member countries all around the world.
“Among our membership are some of the world’s largest and smallest countries, from India, with over 1.2 billion people to Niue with a population of 1,600,” the Commonwealth Games Federation says.
More than 400 Australian athletes will be competing.
Who’s the mascot?
Meet Perry!
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This sport-loving Brummie bull is “strong, kind and a little bit cheeky”, and his colourful hexagons represent all the Commonwealth communities.
The choice of a bull is a nod to Birmingham’s historic Bullring Open Market and the coloured stripes on his kit match the city’s official flag.
Don’t forget to download the ABC News app and turn on notifications for sport so you don’t miss the best bits from the 2022 Commonwealth Games.
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