Bolt gave Glasgow the news it had been hoping for this month when he declared his availability for the Jamaican 4x100m relay team for the Games. Bolt's participation in his first Commonwealth Games had been in doubt due to a foot injury, and he will not compete in either of the individual sprint events.
DAVID RUDISHA (Ken)
The Kenyan Olympic and world 800m champion will be one of the big attractions in Glasgow and he has declared his intention to aim for a double of both 800m and 4x400m relay gold. Rudisha is recovering from a long injury lay-off after becoming the first man to break one minute 41 seconds at London 2012.
PINKA JANGRA (Ind)
Five-time world champion Mary Kom was expected to provide the biggest threat to Nicola Adams as women's boxing makes its Games debut. But Kom suffered a major shock in the Indian trials when she was defeated by 19-year-old Pinki Jangra, who will now head to Glasgow eyeing an even more momentous upset.
SALLY PEARSON (Aus)
Olympic champion Pearson represents Australia's best hope of athletics gold in the 100m hurdles. The Queenslander, who will defend the title she won in Delhi in four years ago, has had a far from ideal build-up due to injury concerns, but will be intent on adding another gold to her collection.
SHELLY-ANN FRASER-PRYCE (Jam)
Like her compatriot Bolt, Fraser-Pryce will only compete in the 4x100m relay in Glasgow after exempting herself from the Jamaican trials on medical grounds. But the sight of the world and double Olympic 100m champion storming around the Hampden Park track will give the fans great consolation.
ALICIA COUTTS (Aus)
The Australian swimming star swept the board with five gold medals in Delhi and will be aiming to repeat the feat in another hectic schedule in Glasgow. Coutts, who also won five medals including relay gold at London 2012, is expected to face stiff competition in a high-quality freestyle line-up.
NICOL DAVID (Mal)
The all-conquering Malaysian squash great will return to defend the title she won in Delhi but despite winning seven World Open titles she has a point to prove after falling in this year's world semi-finals. Her main rival will be England's Laura Massaro, the reigning world champion.
ANNA MEARES (Aus)
Olympic champion and four-time Commonwealth Games gold medallist, the Australian track cycling star is looking to return to the top after surprisingly failing to win a gold medal at the World Championships in Colombia earlier this year. Meares nevertheless remains the racer to beat.
RICHARD MURRAY (Rsa)
Most eyes might be on the Brownlee brothers, but South African world number four Richard Murray will provide a big threat to England's hopes of a sibling one-two. Murray has produced a consistent series of results this season including second place at the World Triathlon Series in London.
GILLIES KAKA (Nzl)
New Zealand's bid to charge to another Commonwealth Games rugby sevens gold medal has been boosted by the emergence of Kaka, who has displaced veteran Tomasi Cama in the All Blacks squad and whose performances will be key if they are to wrap up an expected fifth consecutive Games gold.
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