Crowds flock to Games in message to the world

SOME of the world’s top athletes gathered to compete... but it was the people of Manchester who were the real stars.

Less than four days after the city suffered Britain’s worst terror attack in a decade, thousands gathered in the city centre to show they were undeterred by hate.

The GreatCity Games brought world-class athletes like Olympic champion long jumper Greg Rutherford and Paralympic sprint gold medallist Jonnie Peacock to Albert Square and Deansgate. It had been long scheduled to take place as part of a weekend of sport, incoporating Manchester’s famous 10k tomorrow.

But the decision to continue with the events has hung in the balance following Monday’s attack - and the UK’s threat level being raised to it’s highest grade.

The decision to host the GreatCity Games was not taken lightly and organisers have hailed both events as a sporting show of defiance as Manchester moves forward.

Eighteen-year-old Sophie Bronze, who studies at Salford University, was among the crowd watching.

She said: “Everyone is trying to have a good time, more people are out than would normally be – the weather is obviously making a difference as well.

“There’s so much community here, everyone’s really tight knit. Whether you’re a City fan, United fan... whether you grew up here or you just moved here, everyone in Manchester is so together, especially in the past week.”

But it wasn’t easy to push forward with the city-wide event, communications director David Hart explained, as police presence increased and security tightened.

“They are tinged with sadness and our tone will be different,” Hart said. “Respect is a big word for us, and everything we’re doing in the course of the coming days has very much got that in mind.

“So, it’ll be a different approach, a different tone... it’s going to be an emotional one, for sure.”

Audiences cheered on Rutherford as he pipped Uruguay’s Emiliano Lasa to first place in the men’s long jump, and went wild for Holly Bradshaw as she pole vaulted staggering heights.

But overall, the results came second to an atmosphere of defiance and goodwill.