AND everybody thought the weather might rain on Glasgow’s parade four years back. The Gold Coast is famed as Australia’s Sunshine State but that seemed a misnomer as the 21st Commonwealth Games got under way yesterday amid a torrential downpour which left everybody in attendance decidedly drookit. The clouds quickly passed, though, and even the wild conditions couldn’t dampen the enthusiasm of the capacity 35,000 crowd gathered at the Carrara Stadium, only a small percentage of whom had covered seats.
It wasn’t just the weather that had a Scottish feel to it. Because four years after John Barrowman and Karen Dunbar cavorted around with twirling Tunnocks teacakes at the previous opening ceremony at Celtic Park, and the staging of that famous Glasgow kiss, Scots found themselves to the fore once again. With Louise Martin, from Bridge of Allan, overseeing the ceremony as president of the Commonwealth Games Foundation for the first time, the honour of being the first athlete to enter the stadium went to Scotland’s flagbearer Eilidh Doyle, although at points the 400m hurdler must have wondered if the boat she used to carry the saltire in a few days ago might be required.
In all, 102 of Team Scotland’s 230 competitors said g’day to the Gold Coast crowd, entering the arena to the strains of ‘I need you tonight’ by Aussie rockers INXS, the team led out by a surfing ‘nipper’ rather than the Scotty dogs and their handlers who accompanied the teams at Glasgow. Fortunately, no anoraks were needed over the T-shirts and kilts dreamed up by fashion designer Siobhan Mackenzie and tartan manufacturers House of Edgard.
“It was crazy, amazing – but it was over so quickly,” Doyle said afterwards. “Euan Burton, who did it in Glasgow, had told me to savour it and I tried to, but the flag was pretty heavy.
“I was just trying to enjoy it though,” added the 31-year-old from Kinross. “Standing in the entrance to the tunnel waiting to go out was really nerve-wracking because you know you’re first out and you want to do a good job. But it was such a good reception we got on the way round and it was great to see so many saltires in the crowd. I’m not sure what would top that feeling – maybe if I won a medal? That would be the perfect games.”
While dignitaries such as the Prince of Wales and Duchess of Cornwall, and Australian prime minister Malcolm Turnbull were ushered safely to covered seats, the big concept behind these games of reconciliation with Queensland’s indigenous community continued to prove controversial. As powerful as the moment was when Yugambeh elder Ted Williams introduced the Welcome to Country, the Queen’s baton relay was temporarily stopped yesterday by Aboriginal activists armed with slogans such as ‘Stolenwealth’. The very last steps of its epic journey were taken by world and Olympic 100m hurdles champion Sally Pearson.
While former Eastenders actor turned singer Delta Goodrem led the cast of entertainers, Mark Knowles, a hockey player who has emerged as the antidote to shamed cricket captain Steve Smith, led Australia in to the arena to the strains of ‘Down Under’ by Men at Work. "The Commonwealth is more relevant than ever before, a deeply diverse but unified family of 2.4 billion people," said Martin, after referencing her own time competing in swimming in the Perth games of 1962. We are a vast global family, an eclectic mix of cultures. This enables us to have a positive impact on each other." Speaking from a speech produced from the baton, the Prince of Wales said: "I continue to be inspired by the courage, enthusiasm of all those taking part. It gives me the greatest pleasure to declare these 21st Commonwealth Games open."
The occasion closed with a large inflatable whale flying into the arena. Come rain or shine, the Gold Coast seems determined to have a whale of a time for the next 11 days.
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