The Gold Coast team was led by Mark Stockwell (pictured above left), the chairman of Gold Coast 2018, Sam Coffa, the President of the Australian Commonwealth Games Association, and Melissa Price, the manager of the bid's operations. 

The Hambantota delegation included Manilal Fernando, who in January was the first Sri Lankan to be voted on to FIFA's ruling Executive Committee, and U. R. Senevirathne, a member of the Organising Committe.

Several countries attending the meeting of the CACSO have a vote when the Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF) meets in St Kitts and Nevis on November 11 to choose the host city.

St Kitts and Nevis are among the Commonwealth Games Associations (CGAs) at the event along with Antigua and Barbuda, Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Bermuda, British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, Dominica, Grenada, Guyana, Jamaica, St. Lucia, St. Vincent and Grenadines Trinidad & Tobago.

For Hambantota, it is the first really opportunity for them to introduce themselves to many of these countries.

"We are an island nation with a big heart and big aspirations," said Ajith Nivard Cabraal, the co-chairman of Hambantota 2018 and the Governor of the Central Bank of Sri Lanka. 

"As islanders we have a strong sense of our own unique identity, of independence and of camaraderie with a can-do approach to life.

"Our delegation is looking forward to the opportunity of meeting with CGAs from the Caribbean and Americas to show how seriously we are taking our responsibility as a CGF Candidate City in bidding for the honour of hosting the 2018 Games.

"And in consulting with them in developing our plans for an exemplary event."

Both the Gold Coast and Hambantota plan to travel extensively in the build-up to submitting their bid books in Kuala Lumpur on May 11.

Contact the writer of this story at [email protected]