In advance of Thursday's Opening Ceremony, the Isle of Man is busy welcoming hundreds of the Commonwealth’s most talented young athletes, officials, families, friends and supporters to the island.
 
The Vice Patron of the Commonwealth Games Federation, the Earl of Wessex will open the event.

During the week-long event 1000 athletes from 63 Commonwealth countries will compete in seven sporting events; athletics, badminton, cycling, gymnastics, rugby 7s and swimming.

Five athletes from the Falkland Islands were the first to arrive in the Isle of Man on September 2nd while four athletes from the tiny South Atlantic island of St Helena completed the longest journey, arriving a day later after an epic 11-day 7,000 mile journey.

Australia is sending the largest team, with more than 100 members.

The Hon. Michael Fennell OJ., CD, President of the Commonwealth Games Federation, said: “More than a third of the world’s young people live in the Commonwealth.

"Over the last decade we have seen the Commonwealth Youth Games develop into a celebration and a gathering of faiths, races, cultures and traditions from Africa, the Americas, Asia, the Caribbean, Europe and Oceania.

"This festival of sport helps us understand our diversities and appreciate the deep and abiding values we have in common.

"It creates ties and friendships between nations that will last a lifetime.”

Previous hosts of the Commonwealth Youth Games were Edinburgh (Scotland) 2000, Bendigo (Australia) 2004 and Pune (India) 2008.

In 2005 the Commonwealth Games Federation at its General Assembly voted to move the Games outside of an Olympic year, and so awarded the 2011 Games to the Isle of Man.

The 2015 Commonwealth Youth Games will take place in Samoa.