Dame Katherine, a five-time Olympic rowing medallist, oversees the Government agency that represents Olympic and Paralympic sport and athletes in the United Kingdom.

While UK Sport takes what Dame Katherine describes as "a back seat role for the Commonwealth Games", she is hopeful that English, Scottish, Welsh and Northern Irish athletes will fare well with this year's edition being staged in Birmingham, with the city being close to home for many of them.

"The lovely thing with this is because it's a supportive role from the UK Sport side, it's generally coming in and enjoying the sport," she told insidethegames.

"We hope that the home nations do well.

"I think it was the same when it was in Glasgow, it's been in Manchester as well reasonably recently, somewhere in the UK it still feels like a home Games for all the home nations.

"There will be an incredibly supportive crowd, and when you can fill the stadiums that we have here, and you have that really passionate support, it makes a difference to athletes.

"I think the opportunities that are almost enhanced because of the home Games appeal means that athletes make the most of it when it comes, so I think we'll see great results.

"There are some big, big names we'll know and recognise that are going to be taking part, and there will be some new people who we don't know who they are yet and will make their names at these Games, and that's the wonderful thing about sport - we don't know who we'll be talking about this time next week."

Dame Katherine also highlighted the variety of opportunities for athletes competing at the Commonwealth Games, which she said makes it a fantastic event to be a part of.

"There's a real range, so there are a lot of athletes who might have ambitions of the Olympics or the Paralympics and they use this as a way through," the UK Sport chair reflected.

"For some sports this is the pinnacle.

"In netball for example, I was there at the Gold Coast to watch that incredible final match between Australia and England, and we still talk about that.

"That really changed people's awareness and excitement about netball.

"So I think every sport and every athlete can see the Commonwealth Games differently, but there is such an excitement that it is happening now.

"It's a long build-up to these Games, anything in front of a home crowd makes it different, and whether you are at the pinnacle right now or it's a stepping stone to even more, or you're somewhere in between, it's just an amazing opportunity for everyone."

The UK Sport chair was speaking at a training camp for the Commonwealth Games Federation's "Gather, Adjust, Prepare, Sustain" programme attended by more than 30 Para athletes from 15 Commonwealth nations and territories.

She outlined the organisation's role in the Commonwealth Games, and referenced the UK taking over as host secretariat of the International Working Group (IWG) on Women and Sport from 2022 to 2026, which includes the International Convention Centre in Birmingham staging the IWG on Women and Sport World Conference in 2026.

"UK Sport very consciously takes a back seat role for the Commonwealth Games," Dame Katherine explained.

"It's an event unlike the Olympics or the Paralympics where for all the home nations, it's their moment, which is brilliant.

"I know speaking to athletes it's a very special moment when they get to compete under their own home country flag.

"A lot of the athletes we would fund are competing here, so there's still the interest from UK Sport but it's slightly more behind the scenes than some of the other events.

"Obviously it's a home event so it's on our doorstep, but there's lots of meetings and gatherings happening around the Games, things to celebrate.

"There's an incredible International Working Group for women's sport that the ownership is being handed over to the UK for four years, and that's happening during the Commonwealth Games, so there are lots of meetings of people because of the Commonwealth Games happening that we probably haven't been able to do because of restrictions in the last two years.

"So there's the sport itself which is incredible to be part of and to support, but also all those other bits that just helps sport to grow and develop internationally.

"It's lovely to be part of those conversations that are happening."

The Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games are due to run from July 28 until August 8.