LATEST NEWS, IN BRIEF... SO FAR:
The Opening Ceremony’s most unlikely stars: 41 Scottish Terriers lead out the nations to the delight of watching fans
- Scottish Terriers used to lead out teams at Commonwealth Games bonanza
- The 41 dogs have become the unlikely stars of the Opening Ceremony
- Animals walked around Celtic Park each labelled with team name it was representing
Forty-one Scottish Terriers became the unlikely stars of the Commonwealth Games opening ceremony.
The Scotties were the highlight of the show for many of the millions watching at home, as social media sites were flooded with praise for the animals.
It is the first time dogs have been used to lead in the teams.
A Scottish Terrier accompanies the Scotland team during the Opening Ceremony. The dogs proved a hit on social media sites
The dogs were walked around the Celtic Park stadium on leads - each labelled with the team it was representing
The dogs were walked around the Celtic Park stadium on leads - each labelled with the team it was representing.
Some made the walk round the stadium twice with different teams. Some, their little legs too tired to make walk, were carried by their owners.
Others appears to bound along to the music, wagging their tails.
The owner of the ‘Canada’ dog waved the animals’ little paw, to the delight of the crowd.
Dale Bray tweeted: ‘The little Scottish Terriers make it completely worthwhile to sit through the #commonwealthgames opening ceremony.’
Another said: ‘These Scottish Terriers walking each team in are EVERYTHING. Best addition to the Commonwealth Games!’.
The Scotties were the highlight of the show for many of the millions watching at home, as social media sites were flooded with praise for the animals
Some of the Scottish Terriers made the walk round the stadium twice with different teams
Flag bearer and Rhythmic Gymnast Frankie Jones of Wales leads Welsh athletes during the Opening Ceremony - along with a Scottish Terrier
Cyclist Martyn Irvine waves the flag for Northern Ireland as the nation's athletes arrive - with a Scottish Terrier leading the way
Casting directors had scoured Scotland for 41 Scottish Terriers – and found the last one just four weeks ago.
Thirty of the dogs walked around the stadium twice in order to lead out all 71 nations and territories taking part, resulting in a quick five-minute costume change mid-ceremony.
The dogs wore a maroon check coat bearing the name of their designated nation, while their owners wore matching wool trousers and skirts.
They had been recruited from dog groomers and Scottish Terrier groups, in secret, so as not to ruin the surprise for the global audience.
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No Farah!
-Olympic Hero Mo PULLS OUT of Commonwealth Games after Being Hospitalised with Abdominal Pains
- Double Olympic champion due to go for gold over 5,000 and 10,000 metres
- Team England said he made good progress on recovery from recent illness
- But he wants to get back to full fitness in time for European Championships
- He had previously been admitted to hospital in the US with abdominal pains
- It comes morning after Games launched with spectacular opening ceremony
Mo Farah has pulled out of the Commonwealth Games, it was revealed today.
The 31-year-old double Olympic and world champion - who had previously been admitted to hospital with abdominal pains - was due to go for gold over 5,000 and 10,000 metres in Glasgow.
Team England said he had made good progress on his recovery from a recent illness, but withdrew to focus on getting back to full fitness in time for next month's European Championships in Zurich.
He's out: Team England announced that Mo Farah, 31, had withdrawn to focus on
getting back to full fitness in time for next month's European Championships in Zurich
The news is a major blow to the Games, coming the morning after they launched with a spectacular opening ceremony at Celtic Park.
Farah said: ‘I have taken the tough decision to withdraw from the Commonwealth Games. The sickness I had two weeks ago was a big setback for me.'
Olympic celebrations: The 31-year-old Londoner was set to be one of the biggest stars in Glasgow
Farah added: ‘Training is getting better here in Font Romeu but I need another few weeks to get back to the level I was at in 2012 & 2013.
Quote:
'I have taken the tough decision to withdraw from the Commonwealth Games. The sickness I had two weeks ago was a big setback for me'
Mo Farah
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‘I really wanted to add the Commonwealth titles to my Olympic and World Championships but the event is coming a few weeks too soon for me as my body is telling me it's not ready to race yet. Best wishes to my fellow athletes in Glasgow.’
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WILLIAMS SUSPENDED OVER FAILED TEST
Rhys Williams, the Wales' 400 metres hurdles champion, has been provisionally suspended after being charged with an anti-doping violation.
The 30-year-old, the son of rugby union great JJ Williams, becomes the second Welsh athlete to be forced out of the Commonwealth Games over an alleged anti-doping violation after 800m runner Gareth Warburton.
Welsh Athletics said in a statement: "Welsh Athletics can confirm the provisional suspension of Rhys Williams after being charged with committing an anti-doping rule violation under the IAAF Anti-Doping Rules.
"Rhys has the opportunity to respond to the charges against him and to have those charges determined at a full hearing before the national anti-doping panel.
"Welsh Athletics strongly supports clean sport and has established a comprehensive education programme for its athletes.
"Welsh Athletics is obviously concerned that this is the second anti-doping violation by a senior Welsh international athlete and will be conducting its own internal review.
"Welsh Athletics will not be making any further comment."
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Hurdler son of Welsh rugby legend JJ Williams is kicked out of the Commonwealth Games after being charged with doping offence
25 July 2014
The 30-year-old son of the former British and Irish Lions winger has said he is 'utterly devastated' by the news and claims he has not 'knowingly' taken any banned substances.
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ENGLAND SECURE EASY WIN
By Press Association - July 25th 2014,
England effectively secured their place in the quarter-finals of the mixed team event at the Commonwealth Games with an emphatic 5-0 victory over friends and rivals Jersey.Jersey's team contained three former England internationals but they proved no match for their old colleagues, who did not drop a single game and moved into a commanding position at the top of Group F.
Only an unlikely set of results in the final round of games in their group, including a landslide defeat to rank outsiders Mauritius, can deprive second seeds England of a place in the last eight at the Emirates Arena.
Heather Olver and Chris Langridge opened proceedings with a comfortable 21-7 21-13 victory over two of the ex-England players, Mark Constable and Mariana Agathangelou.
Sarah Walker beat another, repeating her National Championships final victory over Liz Cann by a 21-15 21-13 scoreline.
Rajiv Ouseph proved far too strong for Alexander Hutchings, cruising to a 21-8 21-8 success, while Chris Ad**** and Andy Ellis crushed Constable and Hutchings 21-7 21-12 in men's doubles.
Lauren Smith and Gabby Ad**** wrapped up the tie with a 21-8 21-10 victory over Solenn Pasturel and Agathangelou.
Olver, one of Agathangelou's best friends, admitted afterwards the atmosphere on court had been unusual.
She said: "It was a little different. In the last Commonwealths I was competing with Maz.
"It is always a little tricky to go on and play like that but we had a job to do. I knew if we played well we would win."
The players also expressed delight and surprise at the strong support they received at the packed venue during the afternoon.
"I am really impressed with the crowd," said Langridge. "It's nearly full and everyone's so passionate for England. I'm shocked.
"I thought there would be a lot of dislike for England, but it has been amazing."
Northern Ireland notched their first win of the competition as they overcame Mauritius 4-1.
There were victories for Tony Stephenson and Alannah Stephenson in singles. Tony Stephenson and Tony Murphy won in men's doubles, as did Sinead Chambers and Caroline Black in the women's pairs.
The only blemish was the loss of Ciaran and Sinead Chambers in three games in the mixed doubles to Kate Foo Kune and Aatish Lubah.
Earlier in the day, Wales' hopes of reaching the quarter-finals ended in a 4-1 loss to Canada.
The impressive Carissa Turner and Sarah Thomas secured their only win in the women's doubles rubber, beating Alex Bruce and Peng Soon Chan 21-16 14-21 21-18 on their fourth match point.
Yet by then the tie had already been lost. Turner put up a spirited performance against world number 19 Michelle Li but could not prevent a 21-14 21-14 loss.
Thomas and Oliver Gwilt were beaten in the mixed doubles by Toby Ng and Alex Bruce, Daniel Font went down to Andrew D'Souza while Joe Morgan and Nicolas Strange lost a tight match 27-25 21-14 to Adrian Liu and Derrick Ng.
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SCOTLAND GO DOWN TO SOUTH AFRICA
By Press Association - 25th July 2014
Scotland's medal chances in the men's hockey contest at the Commonwealth Games already look slim after they lost their opening match to South Africa. Derek Forsyth's team went down to the Africans for the third time in six weeks after Andrew Cronje and Ignatuis Malgraff confirmed a 2-0 win at the National Hockey Centre at Glasgow Green.
It was supposed to be a day to remember for Grinstead midfielder Ross Stott as he celebrated his 100th cap for the Scots but it ended up being a family disaster as brother Niall was sin-binned for dangerous play three minutes into the second half.
And with Scotland down to 10 men South Africa turned the screw, winning a penalty stroke when Cronje's net-bound strike hit Ross Stott on the shoulder.
Cronje took the stroke himself, slotting underneath goalkeeper Jamie Cachia's despairing reach before Malgraff confirmed the win with a close-range effort late on.
The Scots still have to face the world's number-nine ranked side India on Saturday and then Wales before their final group game with world champions Australia needing at least two victories if they are to make the semi-finals.
That looks unlikely now but centurion Stott is not giving up hope.
He said: "It was a big day for me but it didn't end the way I wanted it to. I was honoured to win my 100th cap but I suppose you can blame the Stotts for the result.
"I didn't think Niall's offence was a yellow card but I suppose the penalty call was correct as it did hit me on the shoulder.
"But we still believe we can qualify. We just need to win our next couple of games, so this is just a minor setback."
Scotland had their chances to avenge those two recent defeats at last month's Investec London Cup but striker Kenny Bain was in particular guilty of some erratic finishing as the former Kelburne frontman wasted five decent chances.
They had little luck with the refereeing calls. William Marshall thought he had fired the hosts ahead after bundling his way into the circle, only for the officials to spot an illegal use of the foot in the build-up.
Wales, meanwhile, are also under pressure after they went down 3-1 to India in their opener.
Rupinder Singh cracked a spectacular strike off the crossbar after six minutes from India's first set-piece chance, but penalty-corner specialist Vokkaliga Ramachandra Raghunath showed his team-mate how it is done as he swept home his 110th international goal a quarter of an hour later from another set-piece.
The Dragons had spent most of the half soaking up Indian pressure but hit back immediately as Andrew Cornick netted from a tight angle.
But the Indians regained their lead eight minutes after the break when Rupinder Singh slammed home from another penalty-corner routine before Gurwinder Chandi tapped home the third.
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Amber Hill's Commonwealth glory bid ends after shoot-off defeat in women's skeet
By Mike Dawes - 25 July 2014
Teenage shooter Amber Hill's bid for Commonwealth Games glory came to an end after a dramatic sudden-death shoot-off in the women's skeet.
Having shot a disappointing 65 out of 75 in qualifying,16-year-old Hill faced a three-way shoot-out with England team-mate Sarah Gray and Panagiota Andreou of Cyprus.
Andreou was first to crack but Gray held her nerve for five rounds of double clays while Hill missed with her fifth.
Gone: Amber Hill saw her bid for Commonwealth Games glory end in Carnoustie
It was a sad end for one of Team England's best medal hopes but the 2013 BBC Young Sports Personality of the year bowed out gracefully.
'I've really enjoyed it and had a really good day,' she told
Press Association. 'I started off well but had a few problems with my last round but I've had a great time and it's been a really good experience.
'I can't say I wasn't nervous. In the first round nerves were definitely there. But I've got to turn it into the positives and look to the future. Sarah shot an incredible final and deserved to go through.
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Boxing
Scott Fitzgerald off to winning start with impressive unanimous victory over St Lucian Ron Bastien
England's Scott Fitzgerald made an early impression in the welterweight division at the Commonwealth Games after wobbling St Lucia's Ron Bastien inside the first five seconds of the opening round.
The Preston man rammed home a left hook which sent his opponent reeling backwards into the ropes, and fired the same shot early in the third to score a conclusive stoppage win.
Fitzgerald said: 'It is great to get in there and when I knocked him down early it gave me confidence. I looked for it a bit too much to begin with but in the end I got him.'
But there was disappointment for the first home nation boxer Lewis Benson, who dropped a split decision to Bowyn Morgan of New Zealand.
Benson was wobbled by a left hook midway through round two and despite a gutsy display he could not do enough to haul back the points deficit.
Cruise: England's Scott Fitzgerald (right) got off to a flying start in the welterweight division in Glasgow
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Explosions lit up the Glasgow skyline as the city celebrated having the eyes of the
world upon it for an event organisers hope will compete with the London Olympics
Technicolour: The whole show was dominated by a 300ft screen running the length of the Celtic pitch and showed defining moments from Scottish history
A smiling Queen Elizabeth is presented with a posy during the 2014 Commonwealth Games Opening Ceremony, as the Duke of Edinburgh looks on
Regal: The Queen is driven into the arena, to the delight of the estimated 40,000 spectators
An audience of around 40,000 have gathered at Celtic Park to witness the arrival of the Queen's baton and mark the official start of the 11-day competition
.