Who are the Team England flag-bearers for the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games opening ceremony?

By ITV News Central Production Journalist Charlie Horner

The flag-bearers for the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games opening ceremony have been revealed today.

Nottingham-born weightlifter Emily Campbell and diver Jack Laugher from Harrogate have been chosen to carry the flag for the host nation.

The opening ceremony will take place on Thursday (28 July) at the Alexander Stadium to mark the start of the Games.

Birmingham-born duo Duran Duran will be among those headlining the event, which is expected to be watched by more than a billion people around the world.

Who is Emily Campbell?

Emily Campbell is a Nottingham-born weightlifter representing Team England.

She made history at Tokyo 2020 when she became the first British woman in history to medal in weightlifting at the Olympics, with a silver in the +87kg event.

Campbell graduated from Leeds Beckett University with a degree in Sports Science.

Since then the 28-year-old has won a bronze medal in the World Championships in Tashkent in 2021, as well as winning the European Championships in Moscow in the same year.

She trains at the Atlas gym in Alfreton and this summer's Games will be her second time at the sporting event, having won a bronze medal on the Gold Coast in 2018.

When asked who she's 'bringing it home for', Emily explains how she's doing it for anyone who has a dream, no matter how big or small.

"Representation is everything", she says, "we want people to believe they can be in our position one day."

Who is Jack Laugher?

At the Rio Olympics in 2016 Jack Laugher became Britain's first Olympic champion in diving after he won the men's 3-metre synchro alongside Chris Mears.

Laugher later picked up a silver medal in the solo event, making him the first Brit to win two diving Olympic medals at the same Games.

He had already achieved the same feat at the World Championships in Kazan a year prior, winning two bronzes.

Harrogate-born Laugher then completed a ‘Jack-trick’ at his second Commonwealth Games, winning three golds on the Gold Coast to add to his gold and silver won at Glasgow in 2014.

The diver's third Olympic Games in Tokyo in 2020 saw him complete the set with bronze in the 3-metre springboard and another hat-trick of titles.

And he's no stranger to the West Midlands. Jack's grandmother was born and raised in Sedgley in Dudley and he has spent a lot of time visiting over the years.

When asked who he was 'bringing it home for' he said it was for his grandmother, who sadly passed away a few months ago.

"She followed my career so closely and was so proud of me", said Jack. "I know she just wants me to do well so I'm bringing it home for her and my family".