Glasgow 2014: Michael Jamieson & Sir Bradley Wiggins in action

Sir Bradley Wiggins is chasing his first Commonwealth Games gold medal

Sir Bradley Wiggins and Michael Jamieson are among those in action on day one of the Commonwealth Games following Wednesday night's spectacular opening ceremony in Glasgow.

English brothers Alistair and Jonny Brownlee go for gold in the triathlon.

England's Wiggins competes in track cycling's 4,000m team pursuit, while swimmer Jamieson leads Scotland's medal charge in the 200m breaststroke.

Swimmer Jamieson is hoping to deliver a gold medal for hosts Scotland on day one of the Games

The Games' first gold comes in the women's triathlon on Thursday morning.

There are also gold medals in gymnastics, judo and weightlifting to be decided on the opening day.

In total, about 4,500 athletes from 71 nations are taking part in the 20th edition of the Games, which run until 3 August.

Wednesday's opening ceremony featured the traditional parade around the stadium by the athletes, followed by a live show featuring about 2,000 cast members.

The Queen declared the Games open by reading her own message from inside the Commonwealth baton, which was delivered by adventurer Mark Beaumont, who tracked its progress across the Commonwealth on a 288-day journey spanning almost 120,000 miles.

The opening ceremony at Celtic Park featured a host of Scottish iconography

The BBC will be providing its most comprehensive coverage of a Commonwealth Games across TV, radio and online. There will be more than 300 hours of network TV coverage, 200 hours of radio coverage and 1,300 hours of live action via up to 17 digital streams.

The reputation of the Games was damaged by the 2010 event in Delhi, which were plagued by poor ticket sales and problems with venues and accommodation.

But almost one million tickets have been sold in Glasgow. And with a £472.3m budget, the city has seen major upgrades in infrastructure.

Two of the showpiece venues to open in the past year include the £125m Hydro arena at the SECC complex, and the £113m National Indoor Sports Arena and Sir Chris Hoy Velodrome, opposite Celtic Park.

It is hoped the Games will leave a lasting legacy of economic, social, cultural, sporting and health-related improvement for Glasgow and Scotland.

"What we are about to deliver in Glasgow, I think, will be the best ever Commonwealth Games, for sure," said Commonwealth Games Scotland chairman Michael Cavanagh.

"We have learned from Manchester and particularly London 2012, but we are ready to deliver something spectacular."

On Thursday, all eyes will be on Strathclyde Country Park, with New Zealand's Andrea Hewitt, England's Jodie Stimpson and Australia's Emma Moffatt among the favourites in the women's triathlon, which will provide the first gold medal of the Games.

They will begin at 11:00 BST and the men's race will follow over the same course at 15:00.

England's Alistair Brownlee, who won gold at the 2012 Olympics, and younger brother Jonny, who took bronze in London, are looking for their first Commonwealth Games medals.

Hannah Miley carries the burden of one of Team Scotland’s brightest medal prospects

"To win a medal at a home Games is something every athlete wants to achieve and I feel very lucky to have this opportunity again just two years on from London," said Alistair.

Host nation Scotland's first major success at the Games could come in the pool, with Hannah Miley looking to retain the 400m individual medley title she won in Delhi four years ago.

Olympic silver medallist Jamieson competes in the 200m breaststroke.

England are seeking early medal success in track cycling, with 2012 Tour de France winner Wiggins part of the team pursuit.

There will be some big names missing from the Games because of a combination of injury, choice or other circumstances.

Among them are sprinters Yohan Blake and Dwain Chambers, cyclists Mark Cavendish, Becky James and Wendy Houvenaghel, and heptathletes Jessica Ennis-Hill and Katarina Johnson-Thompson.

Welsh hopes have taken a major hit in particular, following the loss of James, athlete Gareth Warburton, boxer Fred Evans and triathletes Non Stanford and Helen Jenkins.

Jamaica sprint star Usain Bolt, winner of the 100m and 200m at the past two Olympics, will be in Glasgow but says he will only run the relay after minor foot surgery and a hamstring injury.

Distance runner Mo Farah, a double Olympic champion, and diver Tom Daley, who won a bronze medal at London 2012, will be in action too over the course of the next few days.