Emerging track star Riley Day will lead the Australian team as flag bearer in the opening ceremony of the Bahamas 2017 Commonwealth Youth Games.

Team General Manager Matt Cowdrey announced that Day would hold the coveted position in a meeting in front of her 75 teammates, just hours before the opening ceremony commences.

The athletics program will commence on Thursday evening (local Bahamas time) and Day will be one of the headline acts in the 23 strong athletics contingent.

The 17-year old from Beaudesert, Queensland will compete in the 100m and 200m sprints.

Day swept to prominence during the recent Nitro Athletics series and is hoping to use the Commonwealth Youth Games as a launching pad to the Gold Coast Commonwealth Games next April.

Already in 2017, Day has recorded personal best times in the 100m (11.59) and 200m 23.26.