With all the familiar pageantry, the Commonwealth uames - the Friendly Games - open in Victoria, Canada, today. It was Canada that hosted the very first such celebration of Commonwealth sport in 1930, when Hamilton was the venue.
This year there will be much interest in the return of South
Africa to Commonwealth competition, and followers of the teams from Britain will hope that stars such as England's Linford Christie and Sally Gunnell and Wales's Colin
Jackson have enough in the energy bank for such an important event after a particularly busy season.
England top the all-time medal table with 1,156 (420 of them gold) but this could change in Canada - Australia's bag since 1930 is just three medals lighter. Introduced by Sue Barker. Executive producer Martin Hopkins Editor Brian Barwick