Billed as a dress rehearsal for the 2010 Commonwealth Games in New Delhi, 71 countries are due to take part in the the CYG in nine events ranging from from shooting to swimming and badminton to wrestling, over the next seven days.

 

Ashok Kapur, the director general of the event, said: "Over 1,300 participants have already arrived in the Complex and 700 more are expected by Sunday morning.

 

"Participation is enthusiastic and response is overwhelming."

 

The programme will actually begin before the opening ceremony with the early rounds of the tennis and shooting.

 

Among those invited to the opening ceremony is the Beijing gold medalist shooter Abhinav Bindra.

 

The Team England flag will be carried at the opening ceremony by 18-year-old weightlifter Ben Watson, a student from Oxford who is taking a year out from his studies to concentrate on his sport.

 

He captained the British  team at the European Youth Weightlifting Championships in 2007 and is the current British champion in the 77kg category.
 
He said: “It’s a huge honour to be selected out of the whole team and I feel very proud.

 

"I’ve watched opening ceremonies at the Olympics and Commonwealth Games before and never thought I’d have that opportunity.

 

"I feel a bit nervous but I’m just going to enjoy the whole experience.”
 
Team England’s Chef de Mission, Ann Hogbin, said: “We received a very warm welcome when we arrived in India and the organisers are working very hard to put the finishing touches to all the venues, which look very impressive.

 

"Our athletes have settled in well and have adapted very quickly to the conditions here; for some this is their first taste of international competition and will hopefully be a fantastic experience at this early stage of their careers.”
 
Team England has an 80-strong team competing at the 2008 Commonwealth Youth Gameevents, which run from tomorrow until next Saturday.