What are the Commonwealth Games?

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Sunday 8 April 2018 at 10:43am

The Commonwealth Games 2018 are underway on Australia's Gold Coast. Credit: ITV News Central

The Commonwealth Games are one of the biggest sporting events in the world with 6500 athletes and officials from 71 nations and territories competing.

More than a billion people watched the opening ceremony and the athletes are competing in a range of sports from cycling and athletics, to lawn bowls and beach volleyball.

This year they're being held on the Gold Coast in Australia - about an hour's drive south of Brisbane. More than £1 billion has been spent to get it ready for the competition.

The next Games will be in Birmingham, in 2022.

Watch the ITV News Central daily Commonwealth Games bulletins each morning at 8:30.