An update of the Games schedule reveals 286 sessions across 19 disciplines and 21 different sports.
Birmingham 2022 has released the latest version of the competition schedule for the Commonwealth Games, the biggest multi-sport event to be staged in the UK for a decade.
The new information includes the start and finish times for all 286 sessions of the Games, plus information about when the 283 gold medals up for grabs will be won.
The sporting action will start in style on Friday 29 July with medal sessions on the first day confirmed for swimming, track cycling, gymnastics and triathlon, all sports in which Australia will have leading contenders and reigning Commonwealth champions.
Last year, Birmingham 2022 organisers confirmed that more medals will be awarded to women than men for the first time ever at a major multi-sport event and Sunday 7 August will be a showcase for women’s team sport in particular, with the medal matches for women’s hockey, cricket T20 and netball all taking place on the same day.
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The final day of competition will be held on Monday 8 August when gold medals will be awarded in diving, table tennis, badminton, squash and hockey – which is being promoted as a possible a magic Monday finish for the home nation – something that of course Australia will be happy to spoil for Team England.
Days with the most medals on offer will occur on Tuesday 2 August when nine sports will award medals and Sunday 7 August when the medallists in eleven different sports will be decided.
Birmingham 2022 will be the first time that women’s cricket T20 has featured at a Commonwealth Games, with organisers also revealing that Edgbaston, one of the world’s greatest cricket grounds, will host matches at 11am and 6pm during the early stages of the tournament.
Smithfield in the centre of Birmingham, which is being transformed for the Games and will come alive in the afternoon and evening with beach volleyball sessions starting at 2.30pm and 7pm and with basketball 3×3 and wheelchair basketball 3×3 matches from 3.30pm and 7.30pm.
The busiest venue during the Games will be the brand-new Sandwell Aquatics Centre with 66 medal events in swimming, para swimming, and diving being held in the state-of-the-art facility. The venue which is on track to be completed in spring next year, will be in use for all 11 days of competition.
The new schedule, which has been finalised following detailed conversations with Games Partners, international federations and broadcasters, has been added to the Birmingham 2022 website, with a dedicated new section allowing sports fans to start planning their visit to the West Midlands for the Games.
Ian Reid, Chief Executive of Birmingham 2022 said: “We’re on track to stage a magnificent edition of the Commonwealth Games. Now more than ever, people are searching for something to look forward to and that is certainly what we will deliver.
“There are millions of sports fans out there who, because of the pandemic, have not been able to attend events for 12 months and with things moving in the right direction, and vaccines being rolled out, we are anticipating a huge amount of interest when our tickets go on sale later in the year.”
The detailed day-by-day event timetables will be released ahead of tickets going on sale later in the year.
Commonwealth Games Australia is planning to send one of its largest teams to compete in an away campaign with an expected team size of 425 athletes across 19 sports, including the recently introduced women’s T20 cricket.
The largest team for an away Commonwealth Games is 409 athletes in Glasgow in 2014.
Australia was represented by 473 athletes on the Gold Coast with the team topping the medal tally with 80 gold, 59 silver and 59 bronze medals.
The Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games will take place from 28 July to 8 August.
To find out more, visit www.birmingham2022.com where you can also sign-up to receive the latest updates about the Games and hear about tickets and volunteer opportunities first.
Also subscribe to Commonwealth Games Australia’s ‘Greater Together’ e-News to stay up to date with Australia’s plans for the Games: Subscribe here
