In just thirty days Team Gibraltar will enter the Alexander Stadium in Birmingham, England for the Opening Ceremony of the twenty-second edition of the Commonwealth Games. The traditional curtain raiser to a Games will announce the start of nine days of competition across 27 sports when a message from Her Majesty the Queen (Head of The Commonwealth) is read. The message which has travelled around the Commonwealth on a two hundred and ninety-four-day journey and was in Gibraltar at the start of June where a spectacular Baton journey on the Rock which saw the whole community involved. General Secretary Joe Schembri said “It was important that we involved many in the Baton’s trip and I think we delivered. Being a small country, we have an advantage in being able to show the whole country in two days, no other country can say that!”

Gibraltar will participate in seven Sports this time around: Athletics, Cycling, Squash, Rhythmic Gymnastics, Swimming, Triathlon and, for the first time, Weightlifting.

Vice-president of Association and Chef de Mission this time former triathlete Chris Walker said “The athletes have been working hard to meet consideration standard and in preparation to compete. It’s also very encouraging to see Weightlifting join our ranks, Holly O’Shea went through a different route qualifying internationally to compete at the Games. I’m excited to see what all 23 of athletes can do”.

President of the local Commonwealth Games Association Harry Murphy MBE has been watching the progress of the Athletes and commented “The athletes have certainly raised the bar across the seven sports and the team represent the elite of the various sports. Unfortunately Shooting (my sport) which has accounted for a large portion of squads in previous games misses out this time around but it’s given other sports the opportunity to have larger representation”.

The action for Team Gibraltar starts on 29th July with squad flying out on Monday 25th