Commonwealth
Games
Commonwealth
Games
The Commonwealth Games, where 71 nations and
territories join to make 1 Commonwealth family.
This year, the Games were hosted in Glasgow
between 23rd July-3rd August.
This year’s games saw major changes to the previous
Commonwealth Games due to the variety of
Para-sports. The 22 medal Para-sports included
five sports; athletics, swimming, powerlifting, lawn
bowls and, for the first time, cycling which will take
place at the Chris Hoy Velodrome. Lawn bowls hasn’t
featured in the last two games and with the exception
of track cycling, the four other sports made their
Commonwealth Games debut as medal events in 2002.
Sir Philip Craven, President of the International
Paralympic Committee, said, “It is tremendous news
that Glasgow will host more Para-Sport events than any
other previous Commonwealth Games and underlines
the growth and popularity of Para-Sport at all levels.”
They proved to be a breath-taking spectacle littered
with outstanding performances with many claiming
multi-medals including competitors from England,
Scotland, Wales, Australia, Canada, Nigeria, Jamaica
and Malaysia. There were also many Commonwealth
Games records across the sporting events and even
world records in some cases. England topped the
medal charts, followed by Australia in second place and
Scotland just losing out to Canada who secured third
place in the medal rankings.
Any concerns of how the games would go before they
started were quickly laid to bed with a spectacular
opening ceremony and the Games went on to provide
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some truly memorable moments throughout the entire
competition. Sport in Profile Magazine takes a look at
some of those that stood out.
One was certainly the work done in partnership with the
UNICEF – Put Children First campaign. This provided
the people of the Commonwealth with an opportunity to
give back to children and they certainly responded with
over £5million raised as a result.
Another truly memorable moment was a wedding
proposal made by a fan at one of the events. He used
the electric atmosphere of the Rugby Sevens to put the
question to his partner.
Some of the events and in particular the achievements
of the athletes were worth remembering as well. At 13
years of age Erraid Davies became Team Scotland’s
youngest games medallist with Bronze in the 100m
Breastroke Final.
On the track Blessing Okagbare stole the show as
she took a double in the 100m and 200m in front of a
packed Hampden Park whilst Claudia Fragapane, a
gymnast from Bristol, became the first Englishwoman
to win four Golds at one Commonwealth Games in 84
years.
With the Games now completed, everyone involved
with the event can reflect upon a job well done and
Scotland can be truly proud of a job well done. The
nations involved with the Commonwealth Games are
supposed to share a set of values including democracy,
gender equality and international peace and security.
Based on what was seen in Glasgow, they certainly do.