COMMENT
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Australia's Commonwealth Games domination may be coming to an end in Glasgow, but the Illawarra reigns supreme in all its regional golden glory.
That's right sports fans, we're No 1.
At the start of the Games, Fairfax Regional websites established some healthy competition by running a medal tally based on the success of athletes from regional Australia.
There are still a few medals to be handed out this weekend, but the Illawarra's dominance has been clear throughout the two-week extravaganza.
Of course, much of the region's success is thanks to the remarkable performances of David and Emma McKeon, emerging superstars of the international swimming arena.
David snared a silver in the 400m freestyle and gold in the 4x200m freestyle relay, while Emma's neck muscles were given a workout by the four gold and two bronze she now proudly wears.
So leading into Friday night's competition, Illawarra had five gold, two silver and three bronze, clearly ahead of old rivals Newcastle, with three gold, two silver and two bronze.
The battle is Australia-wide, including regions from NSW, Victoria, Queensland, South Australia, Western Australia and Tasmania.
Illawarra's impressive tally was almost even better, after Thirroul's Madeline Heiner continued her impressive comeback to athletics by finishing fourth in the 3000m steeplechase.
The region will also pick up medals - almost certainly gold - from the Australian hockey teams, with Kieran Govers and Tristan White part of the Kookaburras and Casey Eastham a senior member of the Hockeyroos squad.
But being a team sport, there will be several other regions eyeing off more medals there as well.
Of course, there are always those who want to tear down the best.
Those narks at the Newcastle Herald recently wrote a piece slamming the Illawarra's claim to triathlete Aaron Royle.
There's no doubting Royle is a Novocastrian, but he and Ryan Bailie are part of the Wollongong Wizards' elite training group and the region deserves recognition for its role in producing Australia's best.
Bailie produced a stunning finish to win bronze in a thrilling triathlon teams relay event.
The cynical Newcastle types are still seething after Illawarra proved once again it's the best rugby league region on the planet by winning the CRL title in Tamworth.
The regional battle is all a bit of fun - and healthy competition - between some old rivals but, most important, a chance to celebrate the talents of our best athletes.
Karen Murphy continues her streak of winning medals, now at four consecutive Commonwealth Games, taking silver as skip of the Australian triples lawn bowls team, which lost the final to England 22-4.
The Commonwealth Games may be derided as an event which is only perpetuated to flatter a dated British empire.
But the argument is undermined by the Games' standing as a checkpoint for athletes on the road to the Olympics. For others, it's on a pedestal alongside World Cup-type events.
It's also a positive reflection on the tireless efforts of those who help develop the athletes, the ones sitting on their couches in the middle of the night, cheering on their proteges.
It's why the Illawarra being Australia's best region is all the more satisfying.