Queen arrives in Australia for Commonwealth Games

MELBOURNE - The Queen arrived in Australia yesterday as organisers and athletes were busily putting the finishing touches to their preparations for the 18th Commonwealth Games.

The Queen was greeted by the Australian Prime Minister John Howard in Canberra on the first leg of her five-day Australian tour that will culminate with her opening the Games at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on Wednesday.

Most of the 4,500 athletes from 53 countries and 71 competing associations have already arrived in the Victorian state capital, with the rest expected to trickle in over the next few days as Games fever starts sweeping the city.

"We are ready, everyone's excited and we look forward to the opening ceremony," Games Minister Justin Madden told a news conference.

Games organisers also announced the release of another batch of tickets for high-profile events including athletics and swimming, which had previously been reserved for corporate clients.

There had been concerns tickets for the opening ceremony might not be sold out but Melbourne 2006 Chief Executive John Harnden said the stadium would be full and sales had already exceeded expectations.

"We're absolutely delighted with where we are at," Harnden said.

"With 72 hours to go we think we are ready to put on the biggest and best show ever in Melbourne.

"We've had enormous ticket sales - over 1.3 million tickets have been sold - but we just wanted to make sure everyone knows that these small numbers were going to be available."

Critics of the Commonwealth Games have dismissed the multi-sports event as an outdated relic of the British Empire but the mood among the athletes could not be more upbeat.

"There is a great aura about the Commonwealth Games," Australian head swim coach Alan Thompson said.

"The Olympics is number one but the Commonwealth Games is huge for Australia.

"These guys want this so badly, and you can see the disappointment of those who didn't make the team."

Irish middle-distance runner Sonia O'Sullivan was cleared on Sunday to compete for Australia despite a decision to close a loophole in eligibility rules.

Athletes normally have to wait three years before they can compete for another country but organisers agreed that O'Sullivan, who was granted Australian citizenship in January, could compete because the Commonwealth Games were not covered by the rule.

The Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF) general assembly voted on Sunday to close the loophole but said it would be unfair to apply it in O'Sullivan's case because team selections had already been made.

"The general assembly felt it was a significant anomaly in certain events," CGF chief executive officer Mike Hooper told a media conference.

"As a matter of procedural fairness, as the athletes were duly selected, it comes into effect after the closing ceremonies in Melbourne."

- REUTERS