Glasgow 2014: What are the Commonwealth Games golden tickets?

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Usain Bolt
Image caption,

Usain Bolt has not yet confirmed whether he will travel to Glasgow for the Commonwealth Games

Six-time Olympic gold medallist Usain Bolt has not yet confirmed whether he will travel to Glasgow for the Commonwealth Games next year but there was much excitement last week when he hinted it was a possibility.

After winning the 200m gold at the the World Championships in Moscow, Bolt told the BBC he would like to compete in one race in Glasgow next year.

The presence of the Jamaican athlete, who has not competed at the Commonwealth Games before, would be the biggest audience draw of the games, ensuring the 100m final on Monday 28 July would be the golden ticket of Glasgow 2014.

The woman's 100m final is the same night, with the possibility that fellow Jamaican Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, who is also a double Olympic champion, could be competing.

Bolt is not the only star of last year's Olympics who could be appearing on the track at Glasgow 2014 - Mo Farah, Jessica Ennis Hill and long-jumper Greg Rutherford - the stars of Team GB's super Saturday - could all make an appearance.

Farah, who has been looking at running marathons, seems more likely to try to repeat his gold medal victories in the 5,000m and 10,000m when he gets to Glasgow.

The double gold medallist, who will be competing for England, would be in action on Day 1 of the athletics on Sunday 27 July in the 5,000m and on Friday 1 August in the 10,000m.

Jessica Ennis Hill, who is an ambassador for Glasgow 2014, plans to compete at next year's games despite her current injury problems.

The women's heptathlon takes place on Tuesday 29 July and Wednesday 30 July, with Rutherford hoping to be in the final of the long jump on the same day.

Scots might be best to look to the swimming pool at Tollcross for success.

On the evening of Thursday 24 July, the first day of the swimming, they would hope to see Olympic silver medallist Michael Jamieson and Hannah Miley, who just missed out on a podium place in London, going for gold.

Miley will be defending her Commonwealth 400m individual medley title, while Jamieson should be in the final of the 200m breaststroke.

The next night, Glasgow swimmer Robbie Renwick will seek to defend the 200m freestyle gold medal he won at the 2010 Commonwealth Games in Delhi.

Over in Edinburgh, the Commonwealth Pool is the venue for the Glasgow 2014 diving competition.

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Jessica Ennis Hill hopes to be fit to compete in Glasgow

The final of the men's 10m platform, to be held on Saturday 2 August, could see Olympic bronze medallist Tom Daley in action.

Track cycling should rival athletics and swimming as the most popular attraction of the games.

The home crowd will be disappointed that Scotland's greatest ever Olympian, Sir Chris Hoy, has retired just a year before the Commonwealth Games is held in the velodrome which bears his name.

However, the Sir Chris Hoy Velodrome will no doubt see plenty of big names between Thursday 24 July and Sunday 27.

The track cycling seems to offer thrilling possibilities in every session with Olympic medallists such as Jason Kenny, Laura Trott, Ed Clancy, Geraint Thomas, and Joanna Rowsell all likely to be in action.

The new world sprint and keirin champion Becky James, who will represent Wales, is also likely to take part, possibly taking on Australian legend Anna Meares.

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Scotland's Hannah Miley will be looking for success in the pool

As well as the track cycling, there is also an individual time trial (Thursday 31 July) and a road race (Sunday 3 August) on the streets of Glasgow.

A practice run for this free event was held in the shape of the British National Road Race Championships in June this year.

The men's road race was won by Mark Cavendish, who could be representing the Isle of Man in the Commonwealth Games, and Olympic silver medallist Lizzie Armitstead, from Yorkshire, won the women's race.

The key dates for the individual artistic gymnastics are Wednesday 30 July to Friday 1 August.

Britain's most successful gymnast Beth Twaddle has retired but there is still plenty of interest after a successful Olympics for Team GB.

Daniel Purvis, who was part of the bronze medal-winning men's squad, intends to compete for Scotland at the Commonwealth Games.

His team-mates in London - Louis Smith, Kristian Thomas and Max Whitlock - should also be hoping to compete in Glasgow, only they will be wearing England colours.

Image caption,

Mark Cavendish won a race in Glasgow earlier this year

Scotland's Daniel Keatings, whose picture appears on the front of the ticketing guide, missed out on competing at the Olympics because of damaged ankle ligaments. He will hope to have more luck in Glasgow.

In the boxing, which will take place at the SECC and the new Hydro arena, Nicola Adams, the first woman to ever win an Olympic boxing gold medal, could become the first woman to win a Commonwealth Games boxing gold medal.

The women's 51kg flyweight competition begins on Monday 28 July and the final is on Saturday 2 August.

The most expensive of Glasgow 2014 are for the opening ceremony at Celtic Park on Wednesday 23 July.

The top-price tickets are £250, with the cheapest at £40.

The closing ceremony at Hampden on Sunday 3 August costs between £30 and £200.

High demand

Ty Speer, deputy chief executive of Glasgow 2014, said: "I don't think it would surprise anyone if the night we have the 100m on was a super-hot ticket.

"We have also certainly planned for all our track cycling and swimming to be hot tickets. We have some great athletes competing in those."

But Mr Speer added: "My message would be: 'Don't just go for the high value, high demand sessions that everybody else will be going for'."

So how about the Rugby Sevens? It has been won by New Zealand in all of the previous four Games. It begins at Rangers' Ibrox Stadium on 26 July and will run over two days.

Judo Olympic medallist Gemma Gibbons could be competing at the SECC on Saturday 26 July.

Britain's Olympic triathlon champion Alistair Brownlee could be one of the competitors at Strathclyde Country Park on Thursday 24 July.

Tuesday 29 July offers an amazing day of Mountain Bike action at the newly-created track at Cathkin Braes.

Then there is hockey at Glasgow Green and shooting at the Barry Buddon Centre in Angus.

Mr Speer added: "I'd certainly encourage everyone to think about a badminton session or a netball session, or lawn bowls or squash.

"It is still world class sport and I think a multi-sport event is one where everyone should say 'I'm going to try something new'. They will enjoy it."

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