‘You almost get a real festival vibe’

Gabby Logan on why the Commonwealth Games are so exciting and who we should keep our eyes on

‘They call it the “friendly games” and it does have a lovely vibe to it’

Her presenting career may span 25 years, but Gabby Logan still feels a buzz when she steps in front of the camera at a major sporting event. As she prepares to front the 2022 Commonwealth Games, Gabby, 49, tells us,“I just love the multisport championships as it’s such a different atmosphere to when you’re doing an event which is just one sport.These events take over the whole city and you can feel the atmosphere.You almost get a real festival vibe.”

Gabby, a former gymnast who competed for Wales at the 1990 event, reveals who she is backing and why these Games are different to others she’s covered...

Hi, Gabby! Tell us about these Games…

There’s lots to look forward to. I think it’s going to be brilliant – and the stadium is incredible.

What are the highlights – and who should we watch?

Great Britain obviously divides up into the regions and we’ve got such strength and depth in middle-distance running. A lot of that is from Scottish and English athletes, so that’s great for both those countries, while Wales now has the British 100m champion in Jeremiah Azu. Athletics is looking really exciting in terms of a domestic situation, but the fastest runners in the world at the moment are Jamaican, so there will be stiff competition for the likes of

Dina Asher-Smith. One of the people I’m looking at is Matthew Hudson-Smith, who is a 400m runner. He’s from Birmingham and it’s his track. He’s in the world top 10 this year and he’ll have some tough opposition, but I’m looking forward to watching him.

What makes the Games different from other events?

It’s different compared to the Olympics, as you’re dealing with a third of the size in terms of countries, so it’s a big event but not unwieldy. And there are fewer sports, so it’s got an accessibility about it in terms of the numbers. They call it the “friendly games” and it does have a lovely vibe to it.You haven’t got America, Russia and China, and it gives a different vibe when the superpowers aren’t involved. The Games also has sports that the Olympics doesn’t, like netball and women’s cricket.

Does presenting the Games bring back memories?

Yes! A long period of my youth was spent focused on that and wanting to qualify for the Games. I was talking about it all the time. It was a big deal for my teenage self to be a part of, so I know what it means to the athletes. Often this event can be the first step on the multisport platform for a lot of athletes and they might then go on to qualify for the Olympics. It’s a good taster and I know how important it is as a progression for Olympic sports.

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