The Gold Coast is bidding to become the fifth Australian city after Sydney, Perth, Brisbane and Melbourne to be chosen to host the Games.

But it faces stiff competition from Sri Lanka's Hambantota when the Commonwealth Games Federation meets to choose the host city at a meeting in St Kitts and Nevis on November 11.

The Commonwealth Games tops the wish list of Clarke, one of the greatest distance runners in history who won four Commonwealth Games silver medals in three appearances from 1962 to 1970.

"I don't believe I will get them all [his wishes], but you have to do what you can while you have the opportunity," he told the Gold Coast Bulletin in an interview published today.

"The Commonwealth Games is [one] and something we can look forward to."

The Gold Coast is one of Australia's fastest-growing regions.

Its population of 515,000 is forecast to grow by 13,000 to 16,000 people a year and hosting the Commonwealth Games is instrumental in the city's future.

"I have been on the Gold Coast since 1998 and I think the next decade in sport on the Gold Coast will be the most exciting in the city's history," said Ian Hanson, the former media manager of Swimming Australia.

"I have been lucky enough to travel the world and have been to seven Olympic Games and seen first-hand the effect of major sporting events on a big city.

"As far as sport is concerned, if we can get the Commonwealth Games, that will put the Gold Coast on the world's sporting map and would just be the icing on the cake."

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