Oh to be in Manchester for the Games, now that summer's there ...

By BRONWYN SELL in MANCHESTER

Whangarei man Garry Hinds thought he had come prepared for the Commonwealth Games.

The 24-year-old Nottingham-based electrician, buoyed by two weeks of sunshine and soaring temperatures, packed a T-shirt, shorts, sunglasses and a New Zealand flag on Monday, took two days off work and caught a train to Manchester with a mate from London.

A week earlier, his mate had snapped up two second-hand tickets to Tuesday's athletics and the pair were stoked to pick up late, cheap tickets on Wednesday to see New Zealand beat Canada in a men's hockey qualification final that night.

There was one snag. "Forgot to bring a bloody jacket - or a decent jersey. Didn't even think about it," Hinds said as he stood shivering in his T-shirt, waiting for a taxi after watching the hockey.

"We've had a good time, but I hate this country." He waved at the thick, grey clouds.

Ah, summer in Manchester. The sun hasn't come out since a blistering hot Monday. On Tuesday there were thunderstorms, and since then it's been overcast at best.

By Thursday, lawn bowlers, hockey players, athletes, walkers and other outdoor eventers had to peer through constant rain.

It's just as well the flags littering the city are brightly coloured, because not much else is.

Still, the local young women are determined to believe it's hot. They queue outside pubs wearing bits of fabric tied to their chests with string.

Their strategy to numb themselves against the cold and rain seems to involve drinking alcohol - a lot of alcohol.

The men have also succumbed, lurching through the streets after midnight looking for a bar dodgy enough to let them in.

The weather seems to have dulled the atmosphere in the city's streets.

Few people are around - aside from volunteers, workers in gaudy purple, yellow and white uniforms and journalists, photographers and officials wearing big yellow media passes around their necks.

Still, the Friendly Games are living up to their name.

The volunteers and workers are unfailingly cheerful.

"That's Manchester for you," said Games bus driver/supervisor Alan Follows. "If the Games were in London, they wouldn't be like this. I'm enjoying it."

During the days, as thousands of athletes vie for finals berths in dozens of venues, it's a supportive, almost family atmosphere. At night, the mood builds with the tension.

Thursday morning's swimming heats could have been the local championships at the Waitakere Aquatic Centre.

Most of the spectators seemed to be family and friends of the competitors.

"That's my boy," shouted one man during a backstroke heat.

Australian Ian Thorpe was king, swimming in front of packed stands every time.

Each venue has cultivated its own atmosphere. The sparkling new track and field stadium hosted the biggest party, with 38,000 spectators every night.

"I've never thrown in such a fantastic atmosphere," said New Zealand shotputter Beatrice Faumuina after winning gold on Tuesday. "It was important to go out and have fun."

Around the velodrome, Coronation Street-style houses and deserted industrial areas echo with music and raucous cheering.

Christchurch pharmacist Karen Ralston, now living in nearby Preston, said: "Manchester is normally a dive but it seems to have come right with a bit of a clean-up."

Full coverage:
nzherald.co.nz/manchester2002

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