The opening ceremony of the XX Commonwealth Games in Glasgow will take place today, Wednesday 23 July, at Celtic Park in Glasgow, and will mark the start of one of the most exciting sporting event in recent years.

Athletes arrived in Scotland, throughout July, from across the Commonwealth setting up base in locations the length and breadth of the country.

In Shortlees, the Team Scotland weightlifting team welcomed Team Ghana to their pre Games training camp while across town, Team Canada were welcomed to the North West Amateur Boxing Club for a week of sparring as their boxers prepared for one of the biggest competitions of their lives.

Provost Jim Todd and Depute Provost John Campbell met with both teams and officially welcomed them to East Ayrshire. Provost Todd said: “It was an honour to meet the Teams who have chosen to train here in East Ayrshire and wish them all the very best for the Games.

“Our preparations for the Commonwealth Games started some time ago when we chose to invest in sport and create facilities that could host the very best athletes in the world while providing an exceptional legacy for our athletes of tomorrow.

“Our talented athletes, who we support through the talented athlete fund, are a source of great pride to the Council and the whole community. East Ayrshire’s Team Scotland athletes Peter Kirkbride, Sophie Smyth, Georgi Black and Claire Johnston, who will be taking part in tonight’s opening ceremony, are winners in my eyes already.

“I know that like many of you, I will be sitting on the edge of my seat when they are competing and sincerely hope that they bring medals back to East Ayrshire but in all honesty, I couldn’t be prouder of them or East Ayrshire than I am at the moment.

“I would also like to take this opportunity to wish East Ayrshire’s second teams, Australia and the British Virgin Islands, all the very best and hope they have a very successful Games.” Commonwealth Games Glasgow 2014 - Team Scotland – weightlifting schedule: Sophie Smyth competes on Saturday 26 July in the 58kg class at 3.30pm Georgina Black competes on Sunday 27 July in the 63kg class at 3.30pm Louise Mather competes on Monday 28 July in the 69kg class at 3.30pm Peter Kirkbride competes on Tuesday 29 July in the 94kg class at 7.30pm ends