Sun, sea & action as Games begin
Gold Coast, April 3: The Commonwealth Games are “more relevant now than ever”, organisers said as they got ready to fire the starting gun on 11 days of competition at Australia’s Gold Coast.
Questions have been asked about the standing and modern appeal of the tournament, an echo of colonialism, which began as the British Empire Games in 1930.
But officials said the Games still had a role to play, pointing to the groundbreaking move to have an equal number of men’s and women’s medal events, and the policy of including para sports in the main programme.
“The Commonwealth has stood for generations now for fighting for fairness and freedom,” said David Grevemberg, chief executive of the Commonwealth Games Federation.
“From our standpoint we’re more relevant now than ever before for the things that have historically challenged the Common- wealth, to the ambitions and aspirations that this Commonwealth looks to uphold: peace, prosperity, good governance and human rights.”
After Wednesday’s opening ceremony, about 4,300 athletes from 71 nations and territories will compete across 23 sports in Gold Coast, a beach- fringed city in Australia’s east.
Games chairman Peter Beattie said the Olympics should take note of the Commonwealth’s move to gender equality for medal events, which he described as a first for a major Games.
Australian cycling great Anna Meares said the Games remained well regarded by athletes, and provided a crucial opportunity to gain experience.
England’s Adam Peaty and Australia’s heavyweight team will highlight the swimming events, while Jamaica’s Yohan Blake and Elaine Thompson will look to set the track alight following the retirement of Olympic sprint icon Usain Bolt. —