With the 2022 Commonwealth Games opening ceremony only days away, some of the Isle of Man’s 34-strong team have begun arriving in Birmingham.

Gymnast Tara Donelly, the island’s seven-member swimming team and badminton player Jess Li were among the first to join chef de mission Erica Bellhouse in the games village.

Duran Duran will headline Thursday evening’s opening ceremony which gets under way at 8pm at the Alexander Stadium, which will also play host to the Games’ track and field events.

The competitive action starts on Friday morning with the bulk of the island’s swimming contingent in heats action at the Sandwell Aquatics Centre.

Triathletes Niall Caley and Will Draper will provide the island’s first shot at a medal with the men’s sprint event beginning at 11am in Sutton Coldfield.

Also in action on the opening days will be boxers Jade Burden and Jamie Devine whose round of 32 bouts are scheduled for Thursday afternoon at the NEC.

TEAM

Athletics Sarah Astin, Rachael Franklin; Joe Harris, Ollie Lockley, David Mullarkey, Glen Quayle, Sarah Webster; Badminton Jessica Li; Boxing Jade Burden, Jamie Devine; Cycling Jessie Carridge, Amelia Sharpe, Anna Christian, Becky Storrie, Lizzie Holden, Matthew Bostock, Sam Brand, Mark Cavendish, Mark Christian, Tyler Hannay, Tom Mazzone, Ben Swift, Max Walker; Gymnastics Tara Donnelly; Para powerlifting Kimberley Dean; Swimming Peter Allen, Alex Bregazzi, Emma Hodgson, Laura Kinley, Harry Robinson, Joel Watterson, Kiera Prentice; Triathlon Niall Caley, Will Draper; Reserves Olivia Marshall (swimming), Leon Mazzone (cycling).

l Fuller preview in Thursday’s Manx Independent.