Meet the First Nations athletes backing-up after their first Olympics, chasing gold in a new sport and even swapping high school for the global stage in Glasgow for the Commonwealth Games.
Around 3,000 competitors from over 74 nations and territories across the world will convene at the scaled-back games beginning on Thursday.
Within Australia's contingent in Scotland are six First Nations athletes, all of which are making their Commonwealth Games debut.
15-year-old Gumbaynggirr and Gamilaraay rising star Lexie Brown is set to become Australia's youngest-ever track and field competitor at the games in the T47 100m Para Athletics.
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She's joined by Briseis Brittain, Layla Sharp and Thomas McGough in making their debut in athletics.
22-year-old boxer Lachlan Lawson will step into the ring in the men's heavyweight draw, while Paris Olympian and Wakka Wakka man Calab Law arrives in Scotland for his first Commonwealth Games in the men's 200m sprint and men's 4x100m Relay.
A record 10 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander sportspeople went to Birmingham in 2022.
There are over 200 events across 10 sports on the schedule in Glasgow: Track and Field (Athletics and Para Athletics), Swimming (and Para Swimming), Cycling (Track and Para Track), Basketball (3x3 and Wheelchair 3x3), Boxing, Judo, Netball, Bowls and Para Bowls, Weightlifting and Para Powerlifting, and Artistic Gymnastics.
The opening ceremony is scheduled for Thursday evening local time (Friday morning Australian time) to kick off the 23rd Commonwealth Games.
Brown, Brittain and Sharp represented Australia at last year's World Para Athletics Championships in New Delhi.
Bringing in a CV littered with national age records, Brown is among the youngest Australian athletes in Glasgow, having already claimed bronze in the 4x100 mixed relay at the 2025 World Championships.
She'll compete in the Women's 100m T47 beginning next Thursday as, according to Athletics Australia, "the youngest track and field athlete ever to compete for Australia at Commonwealth Games".
Ganalbingu and Ndjébbana para-athlete Brittain,18, started her journey in the remote Arnhem Land community of Ramingining.
She an All-Schools event and Nationals gold medallist, all will competing in the Women's 200m T38 at the Comm Games.
Brittain finished seventh in the T38 400m final in New Delhi in 2025.
Sharp, 18, joined Brittain in the 400m final in her Australian team debut, and has since made the shift to long jump.
The Biripi and Darug woman leaped 4.86m to set an national T38 long jump record in the lead up to competing in the event from next week.
15-year-old Palawa sprinter Thomas McGough is the youngest male Australia competitor at the Games, and second youngest male to ever compete for the country in track and field at the Commonwealth Games in close to 100 years.
He'll race in the Men's 100m T38 after reducing his best time under 12 seconds late last year.
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Law took home bronze in the men's 200m final at the Australian Athletics Championships earlier this year.
He previously held the title in the event, pipped by Gout Gout and Commonwealth Games teammate Aidan Murphy this year, and will race it again alongside the Men's 4x100 relay in Glasgow.
Law was one of 11 Indigenous athletes who represented Australia at the Paris Olympics two years ago.
Turning to boxing, Ngarigo man Lachlan Lawson will help to build on a round of 16 finish at last year's amaetuer World Championships in Liverpool.
Lawson, 22, is a multi-time national champion, and moves up into the heavyweight (90kg) class for his Commonwealth Games debut.
His campaign begins Sunday, local time.
First Nations added to Australia's medal tally four years ago in Birmingham.
Taliqua Clancy claimed her second silver medal in beach volleyball, while Hockeyroos star Mariah Williams brought home her own after a second play finish with her side at the 2022 Games.
Ally Wilson earned bronze with her team in the 3x3 basketball, while Muruwari allrounder Ash Gardner picked up gold in the T20 cricket.
The 2026 Commonwealth Games begin on Thursday with 11 of competition ahead of the closing ceremony on Sunday, August 2.
