Scottish terriers, kilts, a giant haggis, whisky, the Loch Ness monster and bagpipes galore heralded the official opening of the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Scotland.
Ahead of the glittering event at Celtic Park football ground this morning (AEST), head of ceremonies David Zolkwer had promised “a typical Glasgow party” that would be “distinctive, irreverent, funny, principled, sincere, personal and direct”.
He was true to his word, with the quirkier elements including tartan-coat-wearing Scottish terriers leading each of the 71 competing nations into the park, a giant haggis in a tartan box, and large Tunnoch’s teacakes.
A 40,000-strong crowd and estimated international TV audience of up to one billion people watched the opening, which featured a medley of traditional and contemporary icons and entertainment.
Susan Boyle sang “Mull of Kintyre”, accompanied by the Scottish Regiment Pipe Band, as the Queen entered the stadium, with other performances by singers including Rod Stewart, the Proclaimers and Glasgow band Primal Scream, which closed proceedings.
Cyclist Anna Meares led the Australian team into the stadium, to the music of ACDC’s “Back in Black”. The Games will feature 17 sports across 11 days of competition, beginning today.
Games TV guide
This guide is compiled by The New Daily, and times are eastern Australian time. It does not contain every event. For the full program, go to the official Games website.
Thursday July 24
Triathlon
8 pm: Women’s final
Emmas Jackson and Moffatt will be chasing Australia’s first medals.
Midnight: Men’s final
Friday July 25
Cycling
1.42 am – 3.03 am: Five gold medals, including:
1.42 am: Women’s 500 m time trial
Anna Meares is just about the greatest story in Australian sport. She is the world record holder in this gut busting event, but faces stiff competition from compatriot Stephanie Morton.
2.36 am: Men’s 4000 m team pursuit
There is a fierce rivalry between Australia, England and New Zealand in this event.
Rhythmic gymnastics
3.00 am: Team final
10.30 pm: Individual all-around final
Swimming
4.07 am – 6.08 am: Six gold medals, including:
4.07 am: Women’s 400 m individual medley
The Australian gold rush in the pool is likely to start with the first final, so get used to the giggly poolside interviews from the start.
6.08 am: Women’s 100 m freestyle relay
The women flew the flag during the London 2012 debacle and should win here.
Saturday July 26
Cycling
1.11 am – 2.53 am: Five gold medals, including:
1.55 am: Women’s individual pursuit
2.38 am: Men’s individual pursuit
Swimming
4.07 am – 6.25 am: Eight gold medals, including:
4.27 am: Men’s 200 m freestyle
Emerging Australian star Cameron McEvoy will begin his individual campaign.
6.09 am: Women’s 100 m butterfly
Australia has strong contenders Alicia Coutts and Madeline Groves.
6.25 am: Men’s 4 x 100 m freestyle relay
The last time you saw (some of) these blokes, they were lined up like naughty schoolboys at a press conference confessing to the curious crime of engaging in a “Stilnox bonding session”. Time to make amends.
Rhythmic gymnastics
6.30 pm – 8.45 pm: Individual finals
Sunday July 27
Cycling
1.21 am – 3.26 am: Five gold medals on the track.
Swimming
4.07 am – 6.06 am: Seven gold medals, including:
4.13 am: Women’s 50 m freestyle
6.06 am: Women’s 200 m freestyle relay final
Another women’s relay, another gold?
Athletics
6.02 pm: Men’s marathon
6.30 pm: Women’s marathon
Monday July 28
Cycling
1.03 am – 3.56 am: Five gold medals, including:
1.03 am, 1.58 am & 3.01 am: Women’s sprint final
The enthralling cat-and-mouse event with Meares in the saddle.
Athletics
2.40am: Men’s 5000 m
A chance to see the hero of London 2012, Mo Farah. He has threatened to do a Scottish dance on the podium if he wins.
Swimming
4.07 am – 6.20 am: Seven medals, including:
4.14 am: Men’s 100 m freestyle
Magnussen v McEvoy. McEvoy knocked Magnussen off at the national titles; Magnussen is swimmng for redemption.
5.09 am: Women’s 200 m individual medley
Alicia Coutts is on the way back from injury, but will be hard to beat.
6.04 am: Women’s 50 m butterfly
Hopefully Coutts gets her breath back for this race.
Rugby Sevens
6.37 am. Final
New Zealand has won this event in all four Games in which it has been contested.
Tuesday July 29
Athletics
4.05 am – 6.50 am: Six gold medals, including:
6.35 am: Women’s 100 m final
Melissa Breen is the fast Australian woman over the flat – ever – after breaking Melinda Gainsford-Taylor’s 20-year-old record, although that does not even guarantee a place in the final in this company. Pearson says she is unlikely to run the flat.
6.50 am: Men’s 100 m final
No Bolt or Blake, but the Jamaicans still have a strong team.
Swimming
4.07 am – 6.20 am: Eight gold medals, including:
5.32 am: Women’s 200 m butterfly
London-born Ellen Gandy competed for Britain at London 2012, but is now swimming for Australia in this event.
6.14 am: Women’s 100 m freestyle
Australia’s Cate Campbell is the standout here.
Cycling
8.31 pm: Women’s cross-country mountain bike
11.50 pm: Men’s cross-country mountain bike
Wednesday July 30
Gymnastics
2.30am: Men’s teams final
2.50 am: Women’s teams final
10.00 pm: Men’s all-around final
Athletics
3.40 am – 6.50 am: Seven gold medals, including women’s 10,000 m (4.07 am), 400 m (5.30 am) and 1500 m (6.50 am), and men’s 110 m hurdles (5.45 am)
Swimming
4.07 am – 6.12 am: Eight gold medals, including:
4.16 am: Men’s 50 m freestyle
Magnussen and McEvoy get to thrash about again.
5.23 am: Swimming. Men’s 1500 m
Australia is looking for its next star in this event, and the baton has passed to 18-year-old Mack Horton. But he will be up against the better credentialled Canadian Ryan Cochrane, who won silver at London 2012, and England’s Daniel Fogg.
6.02 am: Women’s 4 x 100 m medley relay
These women should be familiar faces by now.
Diving
8.50 pm: Women’s synchronised 10 m platform
Australia’s Melissa Wu will look to defend her title with new partner Rachel Bugg.
Thursday July 31
Athletics
3.40 am – 5.40 am: Seven gold medals, including:
5.15 am: Women’s javelin
Australian Kim Mickle is capable of great things, as demonstrated by her second in last year’s world championships and silver in Delhi.
Diving
4.36 am: Women’s 3 m synchronised springboard
Maddison Keeney competes with fellow Australian Anabelle Smith.
Cycling
7.01 pm: Women’s individual time trial
9.31 pm: Men’s individual time trial
Friday August 1
Athletics
3 am – 6.10 am: Nine gold medals, including:
4.35 am: Men’s 1500 m wheelchair T54
Kurt Fearnley, possibly Australia’s greatest ever male Paralympian, will start favourite.
4.50 am: Men’s 800 m
Alex Rowe equalled Ralph Doubell’s 46-year-old Australian record in this event recently. The time was enough to give Doubell gold at the Mexico Olympics; for Dobell, it earnt him seventh at a meeting in Monte Carlo. He should make the final, although he won’t win it.
5.45 am: Women’s 200 m
6.10 am: Men’s 200 m
Diving
3.05 am: Men’s 3 m springboard
Matthew Mitcham.
8.33 pm: Men’s synchronised 3 m springboard
Matthew Mitcham with Grant Nel.
Gymnastics
Midnight – 3.12 am: Individual finals, men’s and women’s
11 pm – 2.12 am: Individual finals, men’s and women’s
Saturday August 2
Athletics
3.05 – 7.10 am: Seven gold medals, including:
3.15 am: Women’s discus
Dani Samuels became the youngest ever world champion in this event in 2009, although she has not thrown the same distances since.
5.05 am: Men’s 10,000 m
Another chance to see Mo Farah.
7.10 am: Athletics. Women’s 100 m hurdles
Sally Pearson is Australia’s greatest athlete since Cathy Freeman – possibly better. If she was a bloke, she would be a superstar in this country. But her world crown has been usurped and a hamstring injury has hampered her preparation. English rival Tiffany Porter beat her at her last start. But the reigning Olympic and Commonwealth champ will not surrender without a fight.
Diving
3.05 am: Women’s 1 m springboard
Australian Maddison Keeney is tipped to make a splash, of sorts.
4.24 am: Men’s synchronised 10 platform
Australians Matthew Mitcham and Dominic Bedggood
Sunday August 3
Athletics
4 am – 6.15 am: Nine gold medals, including:
5.50 am: Women’s 100 m relay
The only chance to see the great Jamaican sprinter Shelly-Anne Fraser-Pryce, who is not running the individual event. Will Pearson run for Australia?
6.15 am: Men’s 100 m relay
Usain Bolt missed the Jamaican trials through injury, so is not running in the individual event. But he will be in the relay. Watch and marvel.
Diving
3.05 am: Women’s 3 m springboard
More Maddison Keeney.
4.35 am: Men’s 10 m platform
More Mitcham, although England’s Tom Daley could start favourite.
Hockey
5.15 am: Women’s final
The Hockeyroos are going for a trifecta of Commonwealth Games victories.
Cycling
5.01 pm: Women’s road race
9.01 pm: Men’s road race
Mark Renshaw faces the mighty task of backing up after the Tour de France.
Hockey
9.15 pm: Men’s final
Kookaburras recently won the world title and are defending Commonwealth Games champions.
Netball
9.30 pm: Final
The Australia-New Zealand final – are other teams allowed? – is invariably a classic. A fitting finale.
