Birmingham City Council claimed in September that it had been in discussions for several months with Jamaican officials about them basing a pre-Games training camp there in the Midlands city in 2012.

 

But Archie Graham, the Glasgow Councillor who is executive member for Commonwealth Games Delivery, said they would formally invite Jamaica to base themselves there.

 

He said: "It would be a real feather in our cap if we could attract an elite athletics' squad like Jamaica.

 

"To have someone like Usain Bolt in Glasgow would be fantastic and generate a huge amount of public interest."

 

Besides Birmingham, Limerick could also harbour ambitions to host Jamaica.

 

Bolt plans to base himself in the Irish city during next summer.

 

As insidethegames reported last month, Glasgow said that it would offer training facilities to some of the poorer countires who want to set up pre-Games training camps in Britain before London 2012.

 

The city said it was part of the commitment they made when winning the right to host the 2014 Commonwealth Games.

 

But Jamaica have become a highly-attractive prize after the performances of Bolt and his team-mate at the Beijing Olympics earlier this year.

 

They finished third in the athletics medal table in Beijing behind the US and Russia with 11 medals, including six gold, the country's best ever performance in the Olympics.

 

They finished third in the athletics medal table in Beijing behind the United States and Russia with 11 medals, including six gold, the country's best ever performance in the Olympics.

 

Bolt, though, was the star of the team, though.

 

He set world records when winning the 100 and 200 metres and was then on the 4x100m relay team that also set a new best as they claimed the gold medals.

 

Graham said: "We are just about to start the process of approaching member countries.

 

"We have to move quickly because we know there will be a huge amount of competition from other UK cities.

 

"Birmingham, for example, have already secured the USA, and we have to match that level of ambition."

 

Four venues in Glasgow have been accredited as possible pre-Games training bases - the Palace of Art Centre for Sports Excellence, in Bellahouston, Scotstoun Leisure Centre, Toryglen Regional Indoor Training Centre and the National Indoor Sports Arena in Parkhead.

 

The city plans to focus on offering facilities for football, athletics, badminton, gymnastics, boxing, judo, taekwondo, wrestling, weightlifting and table tennis.

 

Steven Purcell, the Leader of  Glasgow City Council, said: "We've struck gold for Glasgow in 2014 - and there are three pledges we'll deliver on.

 

"The first is to ensure a lasting legacy for the people of Glasgow, the second is to make sure this is the most athlete centred Games ever held, and the third is to give something back to the Commonwealth."