Geraint Thomas and Cesni Evans to lead out Team Wales in tonight's Commonwealth Games opener
72 countries are taking part with an estimated global audience of 1 billion
Welsh cyclist Geraint Thomas will join squash star Tesni Evans in leading out Team Wales at the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham an opening ceremony later.
The ceremony kicks off eleven days of games.
Duran Duran, who are from Birmingham, will headline the event alongside the director of Peaky Blinders, Steven Knight, executive producing the show.
6,500 athletes and officials from 72 Commonwealth nations and territories will come to the West Midlands to compete.
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Over 1 million people are expected to attend the Games, with more than a billion watching around the world.
But its a bittersweet moment for part of Team Wales who will be honouring the passing of one of the Bowls squad with Motor Neurone Disease.
Llanelli player Dylan Williams was due to compete but had to pull out due to ill-health. He sadly passed away.
Mark Adams, Director of the Welsh Para Bowls, has been paying tribute:
"Dylan was a massive part of the squad and unfortunately Dylan went down with MND. It was such a big blow as he was a main part of the Para Squad but also Team Wales as a whole."
Friend and fellow bowler Chris Briggs said Dylan will be missed by his fellow athletes:
Dylan was a unique character to Team Wales and the bowling community. He had so much energy, and would be telling jokes. Great bowler, one of the best I've seen indoor and outdoor. He was always smiling."
Among the Team Wales squad are athletic siblings, Hannah and Joe Briers.
Hannah, who trained with the Swansea Harriers is running the 200 metres. She said:
"I'm really excited, I'm really really excited.
"I've run really well lately and its also been about eight years since I've run personal bests so this has been a really exciting year, so I'm just really happy that I've come into form when i needed to."
UK Culture Secretary Nadine Dorries said: "Today the eyes of the world turn to Birmingham. We have an incredible 11 days of sport and I know that fans from across the home nations will get right behind our athletes."
"Beyond the medals won and records broken, these Games will deliver a fantastic legacy - sporting, cultural and economic - for the people of Birmingham and the West Midlands."