No flagging despite the rain as Glasgow’s European games open
This youngster was enjoying last night’s Great Big Opening Party in George Square as the inaugural European Championships – shared by Glasgow and Berlin – were launched. Events including gymnastics, golf, cycling and swimming will be staged in and around the city over the next ten days
Glasgow’s biggest sporting event since the Commonwealth Games kicked off with music, dancing – and rain – at the opening party for the 2018 Europeanchampionshipslast night.
Crowds gathered in George Square to watch performers including Nina Nesbitt begin the countdown to the competition which opens today.
The sunny weather that marked the 2014 Games was absent as drizzle fell on spectators at the event billed the Great Big Opening Party.
Compere Sanjeev Kohli joked he had arranged the wet weather to keep in line with the traditional west of Scotland climate.
The actor, who was accompanied by sports broadcaster Alison Walker, paid tribute to the thousands of volunteers supporting the 11-day event which is being co-hosted by Berlin.
It sees the existing European Championships for cycling, gymnastics, rowing, swimming, triathlon and athletics brought together for the first time.
Kohli said: “10,000 people
applied to volunteer, 4,000 of you got in, and a lot of you are here today.
“Thank you so much for your efforts, we really appreciate it.”
The competition will span 12 venues including sites outside Glasgow – with open water swimming at Loch Lomond, triathlon at Strathclyde Country Park, golf at Gleneagles and diving in Edinburgh.
The championships begin today with track cycling, rowing and artistic gymnastics.
Those expected to compete include swimmer Adam Peaty, gymnast Max Whitlock and cyclist Laura Kenny.
Glasgow 2018 chiefs said tickets were selling out fast across the events and urged sports fans to book up in
advance to avoid disappointment. Lindsey Robertson, 34, from Govan, won tickets to the opening party through her work and said it was a great event for Glasgow.
She said: “Tonight would have been better if the weather was like it was two weeks ago, but never mind.
“I think it’s great for Glasgow that it’s hosting something like this.”
Her daughter Olivia, nine, said: “I’m looking forward to the gymnastics.”
Also on last night’s bill were Scottish-egyptian musicians the Ayoub Sisters – who impressed the crowd with a classical version of Ed Sheeran’s Shape Of You – and C Duncan, Sacred Paws and Elephant Sessions.