The Commonwealth Games starts today and there are a number of British hopefuls looking to secure medals for their respective Home Nations in Birmingham.
The tournament provides a rare chance for athletes to represent the colours of their home countries rather than the red, white and blue of Great Britain. Competitors from England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland are desperate to impress fans and reach the podium at a home Games.
With the four nations gearing up to try and reach the podium at the 2022 Games in Birmingham, who are the biggest names to watch as they compete for medals?
Delicious Orie (Boxing - England)
Touted as the next Anthony Joshua, Delicious Orie is looking to win gold at the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham. The 25-year-old is looking to turn professional after the Paris 2024 Olympics, following in his fellow Brit’s footsteps as he hopes to become one of the top boxers in the world.
Born in Moscow to a Nigerian father and Russian mother, Orie spent the first seven years of his life in Voronezh before the family moved to London to escape racism and to seek a better life. He turned to boxing after his NBA dreams collapsed due to the lack of funding for basketball on these shores, and Orie has impressed - even sharing a ring to spar with former world heavyweight champion Joshua.
Nick Miller (Hammer - England)
Nick Miller made his Commonwealth Games debut in Glasgow 2014, and he immediately impressed by securing the silver medal. Four years later, Miller was back on the podium but took the enormous extra step as he claimed the gold medal on the Gold Coast in 2018.
Miller became the first British athlete to surpass 80 metres in hammer throw, and he arrives in Birmingham as the reigning Commonwealth champion and British record holder. He will expect to - at the very least - stand on the podium over the next fortnight.
Laura Kenny (Cycling - England)
Laura Kenny is Britain’s most successful female Olympic athlete in history, and she will be looking to achieve Commonwealth glory after rising out on the 2018 Games. However, she won points race gold in Glasgow eight years ago and will surely be eyeing further medals in 2022.
It has been a turbulent time for Kenny since she won her fifth and sixth Olympic medals at the Tokyo Games last summer, as she had a tragic miscarriage and an ectopic pregnancy - but the 30-year-old returned to cycling in April. Expect greatness on the track, as that is simply what Kenny guarantees.
Adam Peaty (Swimming - England)
Adam Peaty starred at the Olympics last summer, but a broken foot - the first major injury of his career - saw him ruled out of the World Championships in Budapest last month. His presence in Birmingham was considered a doubt, but Peaty is ready to go.
The 27-year-old is aiming to defend his 100m breaststroke Commonwealth title for a second time, while he will also want to turn his 50m silver from the Gold Coast into a gold in Birmingham. Peaty won two gold medals for England in 2014, and he will look to replicate his stunning form this year.
Laura Muir (1500m - Scotland)
After starring at the Tokyo Olympics to win silver in the 1500m, Laura Muir sensationally battled to claim bronze at the World Championships in Eugene, Oregon earlier this month. It was another brilliant performance from the Scot on the world’s stage, and she will look to impress at the Commonwealth Games.
The 29-year-old hasn’t competed at a Commonwealth Games since Glasgow 2014, where she finished 11th. However, after her stirring performances over the last 12 months, Muir is one of the favourites to secure a spot on the podium this time around.
Jake Wightman (1500m - Scotland)
At the recent World Athletics Championships, Jake Wightman stunned the world to win gold. The 28-year-old became the first British man to win the world 1500m title since Steve Cram in 1983.
Wightman won bronze at the 2018 Commonwealth Games, but the Scot will surely be looking to upgrade when he takes to the track at Birmingham’s Alexander Stadium.
Duncan Scott (Swimming - Scotland)
Duncan Scott arrived on the Commonwealth stage in Glasgow eight years ago as he claimed silver, but he became Scotland’s most decorated athlete at a single Games as well as the first Scottish swimmer to win gold in the 100m Freestyle event as he dominated Down Under. In 2018, Scott secured six medals - one gold, one silver and four bronze.
The 25-year-old has gone from strength to strength since then, winning two gold and three silver medals at last year’s European Championships, before becoming the first British athlete ever to win four medals at a single Olympic Games with gold and three silver at Tokyo 2020. He will certainly be in the hunt for a medal in Birmingham.
Anna Hursey (Table Tennis - Wales)
At the 2018 Games, Anna Hursey made history when she became the youngest athlete in the competition’s history at just 11 years of age - a full year after she made her international debut. In July 2021, the teenager continued to impress as she became the World No.2 and European No.1 in the under-15 category.
Hursey also became a bronze doubles medallist at the World Youth Championships last year, and she has targeted a spot on the podium at Birmingham 2022.
Which other Home Nations athletes do you expect to get on the podium at Birmingham 2022? Let us know in the comments section.
Alys Thomas (Swimming - Wales)
Alys Thomas will look to defend her 200m Butterfly title as she arrives at her fourth Commonwealth Games. She won her stunning gold in dominant fashion four years ago, setting a new Games record of two minutes 05.45 seconds - so you can bet she will be hopeful of adding to her haul in Birmingham.
Carly McNaul - Northern Ireland (Boxing - 50kg)
Carly McNaul secured a memorable silver medal at Gold Coast 2018 and she is looking to go one better after transitioning from 52 to 50kg. Since those Games four years ago, McNaul has overcome a number of injuries including a broken femur, torn hand tendons and scars on her eye to ensure she was fit for Birmingham.
McNaul has recovered and is ready to compete as a co-captain of the Welsh boxing team alongside Olympic medallist Aidan Walsh.
