Niue - July 2022In many ways the Commonwealth Games are summed up by the participation of Niue, a coral island in the South Pacific which locals like to call "The Rock".

bowlers, with 10 players selected.The island, which is a self-governing state in free association with New

Zealand, has also named four boxers and a weightlifter.As the amount of people at home is so small,

The delegation left for New Zealand on July 12 for training, and are due to leave for the Games on July

Our weightlifter is from New Zealand and so has access to proper facilities and proper coaching."

Zealand Prime Minster Jacinda Ardern, twice competed at the Commonwealth Games in bowls and will return

New Zealand - May 2022Representing your country in one sport is a fantastic achievement, but Nigel Avery

 "New Zealand had a very loose sort of programme, and whoever was on the team was asked 'who else

 "I'd always wanted to make a big New Zealand team and I'd never quite got there when I was a triple

 New Zealand won 15 gold medals at the Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games ©Getty Images"In this

 "From a New Zealand standpoint it really is seen as a pretty important event.

 "New Zealand is very strong and getting stronger on getting the athlete voice out there.

Kiribati - June 2022In 2014, David Katoatau won a stunning Commonwealth Games gold medal in weightlifting for Kiribati and, if dancing had been on the sports programme, he probably would have won that as well.

But the acting New Zealand high commissioner, she ran with it."

The New Zealand High Commission office is next to the Australian High Commission, and Australia was the

So when we took it over to New Zealand, we were supposed to put it back in the bus."

We rely a lot on Australia and New Zealand, and sometimes the French from New Caledonia."

Fiji - July 2022Fiji has won three gold medals in its Commonwealth Games history but titles in rugby sevens are what the country really wants.

topped the podium.Fiji's men have instead had to make do with three silver medals after losing finals to New

Zealand in 1998, 2002 and 2018.They also won a bronze medal in 2016.The women, meanwhile, did not make

qualified World Rugby coach, as well as a certified World Rugby trainer.The centre played club rugby in New

Zealand for Wellington and Manawatu, and also spent four years in Japan with Kintetsu Railway.Sprinter

Cook Islands - March 2022Not everyone would enthusiastically celebrate a lawn bowls bronze medal at the Commonwealth Games, but the Cook Islands certainly would.

on August 8, the Cook Islands team did not return home until October after they became stranded in New

Zealand due to COVID-19 restrictions and a lack of repatriation flights."

an eye opener, it was hard," said Wilson, who was Chef de Mission in Tokyo and stayed with family in New

Zealand."

Zealand for weeks after the Games ©Getty Images"But while we were in New Zealand the whole place was

for Birmingham 2022 is a rugby man, and clearly remembers his country going up against the might of New

Zealand at their home Kuala Lumpur 1998 Commonwealth Games.

New Zealand rugby great Jonah Lomu showed his class against Malaysia at the 1998 Commonwealth Games ©

Bangladesh - July 2022Bangladesh returned home from the Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games with a pair of silver medals, which for them represented a good result.

South Asian Games champion, will be among those to watch.Gymnast Ali Kader Haque has travelled from New

Zealand, meanwhile, where he is based.The Queen's Baton Relay visited Bangladesh in January ©Birmingham

Uganda - January 2022When Joshua Cheptegei crossed the line first to win gold in the 5,000 metres at Tokyo 2020, he confirmed Uganda's best-ever Olympic performance.

sixth in the world, there are hopes of upsetting the sport's dominant trio of Australia, England and New

Zealand and gate-crashing the podium.There are also hopes of qualifying in 3x3 basketball, rugby sevens

Sporting budgets had been slashed during the COVID-19 pandemic.Plans to build new facilities - including

Tanzania - May 2022In 1974, Tanzania won its first Commonwealth Games gold medal in truly spectacular style.

everybody's lips after he stormed to gold in 3min 32.2sec, a world record time.Bayi ran from the front at the New

Zealand city's Queen Elizabeth II Park, and crossed the line nearly a second quicker than American Jim

 "We still hold the Commonwealth record for the 1500 metres set in Christchurch in New Zealand in

Malawi - October 2021Football dominates the sporting agenda in many countries but in landlocked Malawi the beautiful game has a rival.

out on the semi-finals at Gold Coast 2018.The team known as the Queens shocked now world champions New

Zealand with a 57-53 victory, and were only eliminated from last four contention on goal difference.Mwai

welcome the Queen's Baton Relay in November as part of the African leg.Malawi's netball team shocked New

Zealand at Gold Coast 2018 ©Getty Images"Since we started participating, Malawians do watch the Games

Jersey - April 2022Not every Commonwealth Games team can return home with a glut of medals, but the smaller delegations can celebrate success in other ways.

1990.Channel Island neighbours Guernsey also won the only gold in their history in shooting in the New

Zealand city, with both teams disappointed that the sport is not on the Birmingham programme."

Clark in the Philippines and Jordanian capital Amman will host outstanding qualifiers for basketball's Asia Cup.

China, Malaysia and Chinese Taipei - and Group C - which is made up of Guam, Australia, Hong Kong and New

Zealand - are all set to be completed in the Philippines.Matches are set to be played from June 16 to

by the health crisis, and games due to be held in a bubble in Doha in February were called off when new

Chile have secured the last place in the women's Olympic football tournament at Tokyo 2020 by defeating Cameroon over a two-legged playoff.

first Chilean women's team to qualify for the Olympics".Hosts Japan, Brazil, Zambia, Australia, China, New

Zealand, Canada, world champions the United States, Sweden, Britain and The Netherlands are the other

New Zealand has named its first group of athletes for the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games - five Para swimmers

individual medley in the SM4 class.He may also be juggling his commitments in the pool with playing for New

Zealand has selected five para swimmers for the Tokyo Paralympics - from left, Tupou Neiufi, Jesse Reynolds

It is fantastic to announce our first group of Para athletes selected to represent New Zealand at the

Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games," said Paralympics New Zealand (PNZ) chief executive Fiona Allan."

The New Zealand team for the Tokyo Paralympics is expected to be at least 45-strong and feature athletes

Rugby Africa has strengthened its support for gender equality by launching the Women’s Rugby Advisory Committee (WRAC).

260,000 in 2018 and 350,000 in 2020.South Africa will participate in the next women’s Rugby World Cup in New

Zealand in 2022 as the profile of women's sport continues to rise steeply on the African continent ©

Getty ImagesSouth Africa will participate in the next women’s Rugby World Cup in New Zealand in 2022