A police officer provides security in preparation for the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, Scotland, July 21, 2014.
A police officer provides security in preparation for the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, Scotland, July 21, 2014. REUTERS

Australia’s Olympic and Commonwealth champion cyclist Anna Meares will lead her country in the 20th Commonwealth Games as Australia’s flag-bearer in the opening ceremony held at the Celtic Park in Glasgow, Scotland

Others considered to carry the flag were Sally Pearson and Michael Diamond but the two-time Olympic champion and four-time Commonwealth gold medalist won the honor of carrying the Australian flag.

"I think it tells me I've done a really good job in my career so far. I'm a good team-mate and I'm a good leader and sometimes it's not all about being successful, it's about bouncing back from defeats and failures and challenges.” Meares told abc.net.au.

Meares won the silver in the sprint category at the 2008 Beijing Olympics despite fracturing her neck in a previous crash. The 30-year-old Australian is the current world record holder in the 500-meter track trial and will be appearing in her fourth Commonwealth Games stint— tied for the most appearances with Kathy Watt for any female athlete in the history of the games.

Meares will also be gunning for Watt’s seven-medal haul in the Commonwealth Games. Currently, the cyclist has 4 gold, 1 silver and 1 bronze medals for a total of six medals. She can tie or break that Australian record set by Watt by the end of the 2014 games as she’s entered in the cycling events women’s sprint and women’s 500m track trial.

Cycling track is just one of the 17 sports events in the Glasgow program. Other disciplines include athletics, badminton, boxing, cycling mountain bike, cycling road, diving, gymnastics artistic, gymnastics rhythmic, hockey, judo, lawn bowls, netball, powerlifting, rugby sevens, shooting, squash, swimming, table tennis, triathlon, weightlifting and wrestling.

The opening ceremony is expected to draw 40,000 spectators inside the Celtic Park and will feature performances from Rod Stewart, Susan Boyle and Amy McDonald.

4,500 athletes from 71 different Commonwealth nations and territories will participate in the 20th Commonwealth Games set from July 23 to August 3, 2014.