INDIA will bank on its boxing, weightlifting and athletics contingents to preserve a twodecade-long run of top-five finishes at the Commonwealth Games, while organisers face the daunting task of proving that a scaled-down edition can still capture the essence of the multisport spectacle when the event opens here on Thursday. The opening ceremony at the OVO Hydro will formally launch what is set to be the leanest Commonwealth Games in more than three decades, with around 3,000 athletes from across the Commonwealth’s 74 nations competing in just 10 sports spread across four venues. Six of those sports will simultaneously host para events, reinforcing the organisers’ vision of an inclusive Games.

 

After the Australian state of Victoria pulled out as host in 2023 because of spiralling costs, throwing the future of the Commonwealth itself into uncertainty, Glasgow stepped in to rescue the Games. Having successfully staged the 2014 edition, the Scottish city has once again opened its doors, this time delivering the event ona budget of around 160 million pounds, nearly 60 per cent lower than Birmingham 2022, by relying entirely on existing venues and infrastructure. While Glasgow’s challenge has been to prove that the Games can survive in a leaner avatar, India’s task has been made difficult by the pruned schedule.