HEADLINE ACTS FOR GOLD

Think all the headline acts have been sold out for the Commonwealth Games? Think again. With tickets still available, Dwayne Grant highlights three events that will give you the rare chance to see sporting royalty.

A look at three legends vying for greatness at the Gold Coast Commonwealth Games – and there are still tickets available to see them

ANDRE DE GRASSE TRACK & FIELD: APRIL 8-14

Games chairman Peter Beattie can’t believe tickets remain for the April 9 Super Final, a fair call when you consider a global superstar will likely be gunning for one of the six gold medals up for grabs that night.

Canada’s Andre de Grasse – the man who won silver behind the legendary Usain Bolt in the 100m at the Rio Olympics – will be looking to move one step up to the top of the medal dais when the glory final explodes to life at Carrara Stadium.

“At Glasgow I didn’t make it out of the semi-finals,” the 23-year-old has said of the 2014 Commonwealth Games.

“While the whole thing was a great experience, I didn’t do well on the track and I’m determined to change that on the Gold Coast.”

Anointed the future of athletics after his stunning run in Rio, De Grasse went on to clock a wind-assisted 9.69 sec at a Diamond League meet in Stockholm earlier this year.

Only Bolt has run quicker and while a hamstring injury meant the Canadian missed the subsequent world championships, his ultimate goal is a familiar one – to be the fastest man in the world.

NICOL DAVID SQUASH: APRIL 5-15

How good is Nicol David? Good enough to be labelled the “Roger Federer of squash”.

A legend in her home country of Malaysia, the 34-year-old is the most decorated female squash player of all-time with a resume boasting eight world titles, two Commonwealth Games gold medals and an unbelievable run of 109 consecutive months as world No. 1 until two years ago. Having made her debut as a 14-yearold at Kuala Lumpur in 1998, she will be contesting her sixth Commonwealth Games on the Gold Coast at a time when, like Federer, she has had to evolve to match it with a myriad of young stars who grew up idolising her.

“I have been working on so many things – attacking, playing faster, with no fear,” she said this month.

“I have been playing this game for so long and now I have to adjust. It has taken time but it’s coming together.”

Presently ranked sixth in the world, David is the reigning Games champion and will be hoping to yet again experience the buzz of walking among fellow gold medallists on the Coast.

“You watch these others (athletes) on TV, you follow them and (then) they are right next to you,” she said.

“It’s such a great high.”