2-horse race for 2014 GLORY

It was going to cost of the Canadian city of Halifax £746million to stage the games - nearly three times Glasgow's estimated budget of £288m. Hopes of a continent rest on rival bidder

GLASGOW now faces a race to the finish with Abuja in Nigeria for the right to host the 2014 Games.

But the city will have to overcome an entire continent if it's to triumph.

Using the slogan "Abuja's 2014 Bid is Africa's Bid", organisers have secured strong support from South Africa, Zambia, Namibia, and Sierra Leone.

It has also been endorsed by Fifa President Sepp Blatter, who said a vote for the Nigerian capital would "complete the Commonwealth circle".

The city has a population of around 1.4million and successfully hosted the All African Games in 2003, which attracted thousands of athletes from 53 nations.

Abuja has a 60,000 capacity national stadium, with 10-lane athletic track, and aquatic centre which can hold 2000 spectators. It also has a hockey stadium.

General Yakubu Gowon, former Nigerian leader and now head of Nigeria's bid, says the games would turn Abuja into the sports and tourism capital of Africa.

Despite claims it has one of the lowest crime rates of all African capitals, kidnappings in its delta region have raised security doubts. Games would start a lifetime of parties GLASGOW will enjoy a "lifetime of parties" if it wins the right to host the 2014 Commonwealth Games, says the man with the job of putting Scotland on the world map.

David Williams, chief executive of EventScotland, helped run the 1982 games in Brisbane, Australia - and he is tipping Glasgow to beat Abuja and set up a new era of confidence in the city.

He told 300 delegates at the National Events Conference in the city: "I am very confident the Glasgow team has done everything possible to table a successful bid."

He later told the Evening Times: "The games transformed Brisbane overnight. It was like a giant party and, from then on, everyone wanted more "Before the games people did not see Brisbane in that light and a lot had their heads down.

"But then the city changed for good. Glasgow can look forward to the same if its bid is successful."

But while it's good news for the Glasgow bid, the race is not won yet. The city still faces a formidable opponent in a two-horse race with Abuja in Nigeria, with the winner to be announced in November.

Commonwealth Games chiefs are already under strong pressure to take the games to Africa for the first time, but Glasgow is still in with a fighting chance.

Council leader Steven Purcell said: "We will win gold for Glasgow in 2014.

"We are determined not to take our eyes off the ball. We've always been confident we have a very strong bid.

"Glasgow has a great track record in hosting high-profile sporting events and is an internationally renowned city.

"One of the strengths of our bid is that the vast majority of infrastructure and facilities we need are already committed or in place. That's why we know we will stick to our budget."

The Evening Times revealed in January that the cost of running the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow was expected to be around £288m.

Mr Purcell added: "All our efforts to show the Commonwealth what a wonderful bid we have will continue.

"But we still need 36 votes to win the Games."

The decision on the host city will be announced in Colombo, Sri Lanka, on November 9.

Derek Casey, bid director of Glasgow 2014, speaking from the Maldives, said today: "We still have a campaign on our hands and the strategy remains the same.

"Clearly we are now in a two-horse race but will continue to fight for the 36 votes we need.

"Our strategy was always to make an open and transparent presentation and convince the majority of the 71 countries of the merits of Glasgow's bid.

"Nothing has changed and we are still fighting for these votes.

"I'm in the Maldives today to make a technical presentation and will be in Delhi tomorrow. The campaign is continuing."

Glasgow Chamber of Commerce chief executive Dr Lesley Sawers said: "This is good news that takes us one step closer to securing the games.

"However, we must not be complacent and must continue to focus on convincing the committee members who will come to city over the summer that we should be chosen.

"The financial problems with Halifax's bid emphasise the importance of the infrastructure Glasgow already has in place."

Councillor Alex Mosson, chairman of the Glasgow City Marketing Bureau, said: "Nothing has changed, in a sense, because we still have to convince people to vote for Glasgow.

"But I believe we have put together a great bid and have a very strong case."

SNP shadow sports minister Stewart Maxwell said: "We believe Glasgow would have beaten both the other cities.

"However, it's now a two-horse race and Glasgow is the firm favourite.

"The SNP will be backing Scotland's bid all the way as the games are a huge opportunity which will be good for Glasgow and good for Scotland."

The end of the Canadian bid came quickly after Nova Scotia and Halifax Regional Municipality said they would withdraw support from the bid after revealing the final estimated cost had blown out to £746m.

Barry Barnet, Nova Scotia's Minister of Health Promotion and Protection, said the risks associated with the Games were too high and could compromise the province's finances.

And Halifax Mayor Peter Kelly said he was unwilling to jeopardise the city's budget.

Mr Kelly added: "Our commitment has always been to our taxpayers. We were hopeful we would be in a position to support the Games but, given the concerns raised through the consultants' reports, we cannot support going forward. We will not jeopardise our fiscal position."

Michael Cooper, chief executive officer of the Commonwealth Games Federation, said: "It's deeply disappointing for the people of Canada. That leaves Glasgow and Abuja in the running and we wish the very best to those countries and cities."

Where the money is being spent in Glasgow will be detailed in the Bid Document to be given to the Commonwealth Games Federation in May.