Good morning everyone. The start of the 2014
Commonwealth Games is not far away now. As the final preparations are made for Wednesday's opening ceremony,
Sports Mole will be bringing you all of the latest news from Glasgow.
First up this morning is some news from Sir Bradley Wiggins, who has
confirmed that he will not be taking part in the road races in Glasgow as he looks to focus all of his efforts on Thursday's team pursuit on the track.
More from the track as double Olympic champion Laura Trott talks up her own
chances in the individual pursuit ahead of the race on Friday. Can she repeat some of the heroics of two years ago in London?
England netball star Jade Clarke has
backed the team to challenge for the gold medal in Glasgow, insisting that there is no need to fear Australia or New Zealand as they prepare for their first game against Wales on Friday.
If you missed it yesterday, you can still take a look at
Sports Mole's
interview with Liam Tancock, who has revealed the battles he faced to be ready to compete at the Commonwealth Games.
Rob Holderness has suggested that Wales are heading into the Commonwealth Games with the
strongest swimming squad they have ever produced.
Chef de Mission Brian Davies set Wales a target of 27 medals ahead of the Commonwealth Games, but he believes that the loss of triathletes Non Stanford and Helen Jenkins, as well as cyclist Becky James, could force the team to
lower expectations.
England Sevens skipper Tom Mitchell believes that the odds could be in his side's
favour as they pepare for their campaign for a medal this weekend. The team could only finish fourth four years ago. Can they do any better this year?
There was a nervy moment for Tom Daley when his planes was forced to make an emergency landing in Russia yesterday, but the 20-year-old has now confirmed that he is on his way back to finish his preparations for the Commonwealth Games.
Nick Matthew, who won squash gold in singles and doubles four years ago, believes that he will be
fit enough to make a strong defence of his titles, despite being forced to undergo surgery on his knee a month ago.
It's fair to say that Northern Ireland's Paddy Barnes is not happy with anti-doping officials this morning. After a test was cancelled late last night due to the boxer being dehydrated following training, Barnes was woken up early this morning to give a sample. The 27-year-old has taken to Twitter to
express his anger.
Anna Meares has been named Australia's flag bearer for tomorrow night's opening ceremony in Glasgow, and she has admitted to feeling very
emotional following the announcement. Remember, we'll be bringing you updates of the ceremony on our blog tomorrow.
That's all from me today. I'll pass you over to Daniel Lewis, who is in the chair for the next four hours as we continue our build up to the Commonwealth Games.
Thanks Callum! With just one day to go until the Glasgow Games get underway, news from all competing nations is coming through fast. We'll start close to home with Sir Bradley Wiggins's decision to compete solely in the men's 4000m team pursuit. The Olympic gold medallist says that he is
"excited" by the prospect of returning to the track.
Sticking with Bradley Wiggins, the 34-year-old has
set his sights on winning a fifth Olympic gold at the 2016 Games in Rio. Retirement any time soon is not an option for the 2012 Tour de France winner, it seems.
Moving away from cycling now, and Team England's Jenny Duncalf is
eager to get going in Glasgow as she looks to go one better than her silver four years ago in the squash event.
England tasted relative success in the lawn bowls four years ago with five gold medals, but Sam Tolchard believes that this time around the grass surface gives them a
further advantage.
The final preparations are being made ahead of the opening ceremony of the Games tomorrow night, and the final batch of Team England competitors are making their way north of the border.
Continuing with our wide coverage of events from the Commonwealth Games this afternoon, we turn attention to badminton. Team England competitors Gabby Adcock and Andy Ellis have both had their say on the eve of the games, and it's positive stuff.
Adcock has praised the "really good atmosphere" in the camp, while Ellis says that he and his teammates are ready to give it their all in Glasgow.
Team Wales are hoping for a large medal haul in Glasgow, and they have in the last hour announced that rhythmic gymnast Francesca Jones will
carry the flag for the nation in tomorrow's opening ceremony.
Incidentally, the flag bearer for Team England will be announced later this afternoon...
Fifteen-year-old Rebekah Tiler will become one of Team England's youngest ever competitors when she steps out at the Games this week. Ahead of her weightlifting event, she has said that she takes
great pride in representing her country.
Time to bring you news of a bizarre but rather unfortunate story from the shooting event. Delhi 2010 gold medallist Nur Ayuni Farhana Abdul Halim has had to withdraw from the Games in Glasgow due to a blunder over her competition jacket. Read more
here.
Sports Mole will be bringing you interviews with an array of athletes before, during and after the Commonwealth Games. Our latest, which sees English swimmer Liam Tancock reveal all ahead of the Games, can be found
here.
© Getty Images
Nick Matthew has been selected as Team England's flag bearer for tomorrow night's opening ceremony. More on that story to follow.
Scottish first minister Alex Salmond has today given his thoughts on the Glasgow Games, insisted that they will leave a lasting impact across Scotland for generations to come. Read what else he had to say
here.
More on the story that Nick Matthew has been selected by his teammates to lead out Team England at the Commonwealth Games tomorrow night. Find out more about Yorkshireman right
here.
Team England youngster Amber Hill has
targeted a gold medal in her event at the Games. The 16-year-old openly admits that she is not your typical shooter, but nonetheless she could well lead the way for her nation when the event gets underway on Friday.
Well that signals the end of my four-hour stint this afternoon. I'll now pass the baton over to Matt Domm who will keep you up to date with all the latest goings on in Glasgow.
Cheers Dan. Well, you lucky people now have me until 8pm as I continue to bring you the latest from Glasgow. With lots of press conferences today, we have plenty to cover.
BREAKING: First up let's head to Team Wales. It has been confirmed in a statement from Chef de Mission Brian Davies that boxer Fred Evans has been refused accreditation and will not be taking part. I'll bring you more on that shortly.
An update now from Team England and they have confirmed that Dwain Chambers has withdrawn from the Glasgow event in order to focus on the European Championships in Zurich next month. As with the Wales statement, I'll bring further from the Chambers story soon.
While you wait, take a look at what the Canadians have had to say: first their Chef de Mission Chantal Petitclerc and second boxer Custio Clayton, whose chances have improved with the withdrawal of Evans.
And here, as promised, is
the full story on Chambers. There will be no replacement for him, which means Team England will be a sprinter short in the individuals and relay.
A reminder of England's flag bearer for the opening ceremony:
Here is
the full story on Welsh boxer Evans being refused accreditation to compete. It will be good news, however, for a number of competitors, in particular Custio Clayton of Canada who lost to Evans in the quarter-finals in London.
Do not worry, there are actually still a lot of athletes competing in the Games, we have just been through a small patch with a lot of withdrawals.
One man who will be competing once again after retirement is gymnast Louis Smith, and he has admitted that getting back into a training routine has been tough.
Worried about the fastest man in the world Usain Bolt's fitness? Don't be. The man himself has said that he is working hard and is confident that he can impress the Glasgow crowd in the 4x100m relay.
Here is the story.
There is plenty of pre-event talk from the England squads for various events. Right now, it's the turn of two of the women's shooting team.
Amber Hill, at just 16, has ambitions for gold in her skeet event.
Charlotte Kerwood is hoping to make Glasgow Commonwealth Games gold number four for her in the trap event.
Some talk now from the England triathlon team. Both
Alistair Brownlee and
Jodie Stimpson - Olympic gold medal winner and World Championships silver-medallist respectively - have had their say on the course.
A slightly different angle here from another England triathlete, this time Aaron Harris. Of course, Great Britain is split up for the Commonwealth Games but compete together at every other event, and the 26-year-old admitted that it would be weird to compete against athletes who would
normally be his teammates.
News from the Jamaican team now. Although Yohan Blake - so often the number two to Usain Bolt - was never competing in this year's Commonwealths he has been ruled out for the rest of the season. An injury he picked up in his hamstring on July 11 has led to requiring surgery.
Full story here.
That's your lot from me I'm afraid, folks! I'll leave you in the capable hands of Kristian Johnson for the rest of the night. Goodbye.
Thanks Matt! The opening ceremony of the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games is now less than 24 hours away! Who's excited? I know I am!
New Zealand triathlete Nicky Samuels is in action tomorrow. She wasn't originally a part of the travelling squad, but after a successful appeal she will compete in the women's individual race, and she says that
she is confident.
England table tennis player Paul Drinkhall
has been talking ahead of the Games. The 24-year-old won the Spanish Open back in April, and he is hoping for more success in Glasgow.
Paul Drinkhall and Joanna Parker aren't the only sporting couple on these shores. This picture, tweeted from the official Team England Commonwealth Games account, shows Gemma Gibbons snuggling up to her husband Euan Burton. Gibbons is part of England's judo squad, while Burton will be competing for Scotland.
Remember Sir Chris Hoy? He won
six Olympic gold medals and has competed at three Commonwealth Games, but he has backed Glasgow 2014 to be
"the biggest and best Commonwealth Games we've ever seen".
Spectacular stuff! This is the venue for the weightlifting at Glasgow 2014!
The action is yet to get underway in Glasgow, but that's not stopped Sport Wales from suggesting that they are already
considering a bid to host to 2026 Games. Sarah Powell, Sport Wales chief executive, has said that Scotland can provide a "really good example" to their Great Britain counterparts, who hope to "learn from these Games".
A little more than 22 hours remain until the opening ceremony kicks off the 2014 Games! I'm not the only one who is excited, as England swimmers Jessica Fullalove and Tilly Gray have shown by painting their nails ahead of procession through Celtic Park tomorrow evening.
For more news from Wales, why don't you check out our correspondent
Pascal Lemesre's chat with the country's flagbearer Francesca Jones from earlier today.
News from New Zealand now, as their flag bearer, Valerie Adams, admits that she is both "honoured" and "proud" to be leading her nation out at the opening ceremony tomorrow evening.
Full story here.
And right on cue, the New Zealand rugby team have just tweeted to congratulate Valerie Adams on being selected as the country's flag bearer.
The 2014 Commonwealth Games will be the first time in 30 years that boxers will be allowed to compete without the use of head guards. The decision only applies to male boxers, though. For the full story, including quotes from the English Institute of Sport's Doctor, Mike Loosemore, click
here.
Sir Bradley Wiggins is never shy in voicing his opinions and he's been at it again. This time he's had something to say about the Glasgow 2014 velodrome, which is named after fellow cyclist Sir Chris Hoy. Find out what he had to say by clicking
here.
Wales cyclist Becky James
has revealed how a recent cancer scare means that she cannot participate at the Commonwealth Games.
That's all from
Sports Mole on the Commonwealth Games for today I'm afraid. Don't forget to be back here tomorrow morning from 9am though, as we build up to the opening ceremony in the evening, and we will be sure to get plenty of updates from our correspondents in Glasgow!
For all you late-night readers burning the midnight oil, I will leave you with this little treat to get you in the mood for tomorrow. Enjoy!
