Lawn bowls star Aaron Wilson will make his second appearance at the Commonwealth Games, while marathon man Andy Buchanan, cycling young gun Alessia McCaig and swimming sensation Jenna Strauch will make their Games' debut.

Bamawm para-sport swimmer Col Pearse has a great chance to add more medals to his expanding honour roll.

Lawn bowls

One of the highlights of the Gold Coast Commonwealth Games was Wilson's celebration of his gold medal win in the men's singles.

The 30-year-old is back to defend his crown in the singles, while he'll join forces with Cory Wedlock in the men's pairs.

"It's chalk and cheese in terms of the condition of the greens,'' Wilson said from England this week.

"Australian conditions are fast and firm greens, but over here it's slower and a bit more lush.

"The team has to adapt and I'm a big fan of playing on a heavy green... it's a bit more difficult. You have to stay positive on the greens no matter what the conditions are. I'm looking forward to the challenge."

As the defending singles champion, Wilson will have a target on his back.

While the win on the Gold Coast gives him confidence, Wilson said what happened four years would matter little to his performance in Birmingham.

"There's always some pressure and expectation, but I've hit a reset and put what's happened in the past behind me,'' he said.

"It's time to get back on the job and go through my routine. (In the pairs) we want to perform well and give ourselves every chance of featuring deep in the tournament. I'm lucky to have a super partner in Corey Wedlock, who is rolling it brilliantly so far."

Wilson's schedule (times AEST):

Saturday, July 30, midnight-5.15am - men's pairs rounds 1 and 2

Sunday, July 31, midnight-5.15am - men's pairs rounds 3 and 4

Monday, August 1, 5.30pm-midnight - men's pairs semi-finals

Tuesday, August 2, 5.30pm-midnight - men's pairs medal matches, men's singles round 1

Wednesday, August 3, 5.30pm-10.45pm - men's singles rounds 2 and 3

Thursday, August 4, 5.30pm-10.45pm - men's singles rounds 4 and 5

Friday, August 5, 5.30pm-10.45pm - men's singles quarter-finals

Saturday, August 6, 5.30pm-10.45pm - men's singles semi-finals

Sunday, August 7, 1.30am-4.45am - men's singles medal matches

Cycling

It only seems like yesterday McCaig was dominating under-age track cycling at the Tom Flood Sports Centre.

Now the 19-year-old is on the verge of representing her country against some of the best sprinters in world cycling.

McCaig is in contention to ride in the team sprint, individual sprint, keirin and 500m time-trial.

"It's been a bit of a whirlwind, but I've loved the journey and everything I've gone through to get to this point,'' McCaig said from the cycling base in London.

"I'm proud that the hard work is paying off and I hope this is the first of a few (Commonwealth) Games for me."

The teenager arrives in England on the back of a heavy training load that she hopes will see her challenge for medals.

"Everyone (in the Australian squad) is excited to race and, hopefully, get some good performances,'' she said.

"I'm really looking forward to the team sprint. I love team events and racing with the girls. Canada is in good form and looks hard to beat, but there are a number of other teams who will also be right up there."

Family support at the Games means plenty to McCaig.

"I have my Mum, Dad, my brother and my aunty travelling over from Australia and I have an uncle and close family friend, who already live in London, who are coming to watch a few events.

"It's pretty exciting to have them here to watch me."

McCaig's schedule (times AEST):

Friday, July 29, 7pm-10pm - team sprint qualiftication

Saturday, July 30, 1am-3.30am - team sprint finals

Saturday, July 30, 7pm-11.15pm - women's sprint qualification and quarter-finals

Sunday, July 31, 1am-4am - women's sprint semi-finals and finals

Monday, August 1, midnight-4am - women's 500m time-trial

Tuesday, August 2, midnight-3am - women's keirin heats and finals

Swimming

Fresh from two silver medals at the recent FINA Swimming Championships, Strauch enters her first Commonwealth Games in career-best form.

The 26-year-old will race in up to four events - her pet event the 200m breaststroke as well as the 50m breaststroke, 100m breaststroke and the 4x100m medley relay.

"(After the world championships) it was straight back into training for the Commonwealth Games, so it (the two silver medals) hasn't really sunk in yet,'' Strauch said from the Australian swimming camp in France last week.

"We've been working hard and training well and fingers crossed I can carry that world championship form over to Birmingham.

"It's going to be a tough competition. In the 200m, I'll be against the world record holder and Olympic champion (South Africa's Tatjana Schoenmaker) and the British girls are pretty good.

"It will be a good battle and I'm looking forward to the challenge of racing high-calibre athletes.

"Any opportunity you get to race against a world record holder is an honour and a privilege."

Strauch is one of the favourites in the 200m breaststroke, while the Aussie 4x100m medley relay team will start a hot favourite to claim gold.

The opportunity to compete, and potentially, win a gold medal in front of family is a motivating factor for Strauch.

"I'm so excited to have my family coming over. It's been a tough few years for them, not being able to watch me because of COVID,'' she said.

"I'm very excited that they get to experience a Commonwealth Games."

Strauch's schedule (times AEST):

Friday, July 29, 7.30pm-9.30pm - 50m breatstroke heats

Saturday, July 30, 4am-7am - 50m breastroke semi-finals

Sunday, July 31, 4am-7am - 50m breastroke final

Sunday, July 31, 7.30pm-9.30pm - 200m breaststroke heats

Monday, August 1, 4am-7am - 200m breaststroke final

Monday, August 1, 7.30pm-9.30pm - 100m beaststroke heats

Tuesday, August 2, 4am-7am - 100m breastroke semi-finals

Wednesday, August 3, 4am-7am - 100m breaststroke final

Wednesday, August 3, 7.30pm-9.30pm - 4x100m medley relay heats

Thursday, August 4, 4am-7am - 4x100m medley relay final

Marathon

The 31-year-old has developed into one of Australia's best distance runners.

He earned his place in Saturday's marathon in Birmingham by running a slick time of two hours, 12 minutes and 23 seconds in his marathon debut in Hamburg in April.

Remarkably, it was the equal 25th fastest time by an Australian athlete for the 42.2km distance.

Buchanan will come up against a world-class field on a hilly course in Birmingham.

"I've only done one marathon and that course was pretty flat, so this will be a challenge,'' he said before leaving for Birmingham.

"It will suit me because growing up in Bendigo there's not much flat terrain.

"It's exciting that if I have a really good race I have the potential to be in the top 10 or maybe top five.

"If everything really goes my way I could possibly medal, which wouldn't happen at any other major championship because there's so many other strong runners."

Buchanan's schedule (time AEST):

Saturday, July 30, 6pm - men's marathon

Swimming

Birmingham features the biggest para-sport program in Commonwealth Games' history and Bamawm swimmer Col Pearse is hoping to make a splash.

Pearse will make his Commonwealth Games debut, less than 12 months after claiming the bronze medal in the S10 100m butterfly at the Tokyo Paralympics.

As a toddler, Pearse had his right foot amputated after a mishap with a lawn mower. The incident did little to hinder Pearse's enthusiasm.

Now based in Melbourne, the 19-year-old swam at the world titles in Portugal last month where he collected silver medals in the S10 200m individual medley and in the S10 100m butterfly. A repeat of that form will have him in the hunt for gold.

Pearse's schedule (times AEST):

Tuesday, August 2, 7.30pm-9.30pm - S10 100m butterfly heats

Wednesday, August 3, 4am-7am - S10 100m butterfly final

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