The Commonwealth Games may not have the stature of the Olympics or World Championships but if you're competing against the likes of Usain Bolt in Glasow, you'll know you're facing some of the best in the world.
Many athletes have made their names at the Commonwealth Games while others have used them as a springboard to even greater success. Here's our list of some of the best to have graced the Games.
SEE ALSO:
- Day-By-Day Guide To The Commonwealth Games
- Watch How Perth Opened The 1962 Commonwealth Games
Great Athletes From Commonwealth Games
Dawn Fraser(01 of10)
Australian Dawn Fraser has been called one of the best female swimmers in history after winning the same swimming event in three successive Olympics. In addition, she won four gold medals in the 110 yards freestyle, 440 yards freestyle,, 4x110 yards freestyle relay and the 4x110 yards medley relay at the Perth Commonwealth Games in 1962. If that's not enough she was also known to be able to swim 100m in under a minute. (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)
Mick Gault(02 of10)
Mick Gault is England's most decorated athlete in Commonwealth Games history, having picked up 17 medals. He retired in 2010 but has returned to the fray this year to try and beat Australian shooter Phillip Adams's Commonwealth record of 18 medals. Glasgow will the 60-year-old 's sixth Games. (credit:Robert Cianflone via Getty Images)
Ian Thorpe(03 of10)
Australia's Ian Thorpe or Thorpedo as he is more affectionately known is one of the world's greatest swimmers who picked up 10 Commonwealth gold medals in his career. At the Kuala Lumpur Games in 1998, at just 15 years old, the swimmer shocked many as he won four medals in 200m and 400m freestyle and two Gold medals in the relay teams. Impressive, yes? (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)
Samaresh Jung(04 of10)
At the 2006 Manchester Games, this air pistol specialist from India won seven medals - five golds, one silver and one bronze. Samaresh Jung's achievement led to him receiving the David Dixon Award, given to the “Best Athlete of the Games”. He's often referred to as 'Gold Finger' because of his exploits on the shooting range. (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)
Precious McKenzie (05 of10)
The weightlifter first represented England in 1966 and then in 1970 and 1974, winning a gold medal at each Games. However in 1974 he moved to New Zealand where he decided to become a weight trainer and when he returned to competition at the 1978 Commonwealth Games, it was a New Zealand citizen. (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)
Chris Hoy(06 of10)
Chris Hoy, the most successful Olympic cyclist of all time, spearheaded Britain's surge to the forefront of world track cycling, winning his first Olympic gold in Athens in 2004 and capturing three more in Beijing in 2008 and another two at his home games in London in 2012.On the face of it, his Commonwealth Games' record is more modest,picking up a gold and bronze at both the 2002 and 2006 Games. Think he can be excused for that though. (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)
Natalie Du Toit (07 of10)
The South African swimmer took centre stage when she became one of only two Paralympians to compete at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing after winning six gold medals at the 2004 Paralympics although she narrowly missed not qualifying for the 2008 Olympics.Her Commonwealth Games record is also impressive; at just 14 she made her international competitive debut at the 1998 Games in Kuala Lumpur. Four years later she won two golds in Manchester, and followed this four years later with two more golds in Melbourne and another three in Delhi in 2010. (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)
Jaspal Rana(08 of10)
Indian shooter Jaspal Rana is well known in his home country for winning the Arjuna Award, a prestigious prize which recognises outstanding sporting achievement.Rana is also known to specialize in the 25 m Centre Fire Pistol category. He has won Gold medals in Men's Center Fire Pistol and Men's Center Fire Pistol Pairs at the 1998 edition at Kuala Lumpur. He again managed to get Gold in 2002 and 2006, in the Men's 25m Center Fire Pistol. (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)
Willie Wood(09 of10)
Scotland's Willie Wood during a practice session against Canada at the Nehru Stadium Complex in Delhi, India during the 2010 Commonwealth Games. Wood first represented his country in 1966 and in 2002 became the first athlete to compete in seven Commonwealth Games. During his career he has won two gold medals and also became the oldest Games competitor when he represented Scotland at his eighth Games in 2010 at the age of 72. (credit:Stephen Pond/EMPICS Sport)
Marcus Stephen(10 of10)
President Marcus Stephen of Nauru addresses the United Nations General Assembly in 2011. It's a long way from his Commonwealth Games career, when he won seven gold medals between 1990 and 2002 - one at Auckland (1990), three in Victoria (1994) and three in Kuala Lumpur (1998). Stephen also collected five silvers along the way. In 2005 he was elected to membership of the International Weightlifting Federation Hall of Fame. (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)