Glasgow gets ready to host the Commonwealth Games

Thousands of athletes are heading to the Scottish city of Glasgow this week, as the Commonwealth Games are about to get underway.

This year's Games are set to be a little different.

It will be a smaller-scale version, with fewer sports than usual, but there will still be plenty to look forward to.

From medals to mascots, here's what to expect at this year's Commonwealth Games.

Are you excited for the Games? Maybe you've got tickets for an event? Which sport are you looking forward to watching? Let us know in the comments below..

The 23rd edition of the Commonwealth Games will take place in Glasgow from 23 July to 2 August.

It will kick off with the opening ceremony on 23 July, at the OVO Hydro in Glasgow.

The following day will see the sporting action begin, with basketball, bowling and swimming among the first competitions to get under way.

The ten-day event will see around 3,000 athletes from 74 Commonwealth nations and territories competing in the Games.

Four venues across the city will host events.

They are: Scotstoun Stadium, Tollcross International Swimming Centre, Glasgow International Arena - including the Sir Chris Hoy Velodrome, and the Scottish Event Campus (SEC).

Glasgow, which last hosted the Commonwealth Games in 2014, stepped in after the state of Victoria in Australia backed out.

Victoria withdrew in 2023 because it was going to cost too much money to put on the event there.

As a result, officials have said the 2026 Games will be slightly smaller this time, with fewer athletes and events, due to the shorter amount of time to plan it.

Ten sports and six para sports will feature this year:

Athletics and Para Athletics (Track & Field)

Swimming and Para Swimming

Artistic Gymnastics

Track Cycling and Para Track Cycling

Netball

Weightlifting and Para Powerlifting

Boxing

Judo

Bowls and Para Bowls

3x3 Basketball and 3x3 Wheelchair Basketball.

Meet Finnie - a unicorn with a traffic cone for a horn!

If you're wondering, why a traffic cone?

Well, one was put on the statue of the Duke of Wellington in Glasgow city centre around 40 years ago, and since then it's become an iconic symbol of the city.

School children from Glasgow helped design Finnie, and she will be the official face of the Games.

The medals for this year's Games will feature braille for the first time.

Braille is a system of raised dots which enable blind or visually impaired people to read and write by using their fingers to feel the shape of the dots, which tells them what the words are.

The medals feature elements that relate to the Scottish city, such as tartan and Glasgow's Finnieston Crane landmark.

According to organisers, there will be a total of 215 medal events, in which up to 1168 medals will be given out.

Some of the world's biggest sporting stars will be competing alongside young athletes, hoping to make their mark on the international stage.

Here are some of those rising stars to keep an eye out for:

Scotland - Ben Sandilands (para-athletics)

Ben is the current world record holder and Paris 2024 Paralympic Games champion, and will be hoping for another top performance in the T20 1500m event at his first-ever Commonwealth Games.

Wales - Ruby Evans (artistic gymnastics)

Last year, Ruby became the first Welsh gymnast in more than 50 years to win the all-around title at the British Championships, and is also a World Championship silver medallist.

Northern Ireland - Grace Davison (swimming)

18-year-old Grace has been selected for her second Games and will take part in the 100m and 200m Freestyle as well as the 100m and 200m Backstroke.

England - Abi Miller (track cycling)

18-year-old Abi will be making her first appearance at the Commonwealth Games, and is the youngest track cyclist on the Team England squad.