Final blast for sporting showcase

By SINEAD O'HANLON of Reuters

The Queen closed Manchester's hugely successful Commonwealth Games yesterday after 11 days of sport and ceremony that helped to restore Britain's battered image as a host of major sporting events.

Like the opening, the closing ceremony, in front of a crowd of 38,000 and competitors from 72 nations, mixed pomp and pop in a city with a reputation for partying.

It took place in pouring rain, for which the city is also known.

Much of the ceremony was dedicated to celebrating the golden jubilee of the Queen.

Nine gold medallists welcomed the Queen to the ceremony and hundreds of schoolchildren in the middle of the stadium daubed themselves with red, blue and white paint to form a British flag before unveiling a giant portrait of the monarch.

The most powerful moments came as huge lanterns, shaped like churches, temples and other symbols of the Commonwealth's diverse faiths, were carried into the stadium to surround a large human form and spell out a peace message.

Britain's beloved Morris Minor cars performed a ballet, which kicked off pop performances from, among others, the Eurythmics' Dave Stewart and Toploader.

In contrast to the regimented opening ceremony, raincoat-clad athletes streamed into the stadium to dance and sing along to the acts under a shower of confetti.

Earlier, around 340 athletes, chosen to carry their nations' flags, paraded into the stadium.

Melbourne, which will host the 2006 Games, showcased what it has to offer in the form of singers, dancers - and giant photos of the sun-drenched city.

South African disabled swimmer Natalie Du Toit was presented with an award for the outstanding athlete of the Games. The 18-year-old, who lost part of her left leg in a motorcycling accident last year, won golds in the women's multi-disability 50m and 100m freestyle events. But reaching the 800m final - open to all swimmers - gave her most pleasure.

The Games had been a chance for Manchester to dispel its grim northern image - and for Britain to prove it could host a multi-sport event after failed Olympics bids and the fiasco over the staging of the 2005 world athletics championships that hosts London had to abandon last year.

Britain is considering a bid with London for the 2012 Olympics, the venue of which will be decided in 2005.

Full coverage:
nzherald.co.nz/manchester2002

Medal table

Commonwealth Games info and related links