Alexjc

Just reported here in NZ on 3NewsNow that they are hours away from signing off as Hosts of a very trimmed down Games with "financial help from the Australian CGC". Well, we are entering unchartered territory now...

And there's the Coup de Grace. The CGF are out of time... Take the Victoria compensation money and pump it into the Youth Games.

NZOC is to announce later this month that it will drop the study into the nationwide hosting the 2034 CWGs and has also asked the Christchurch City Council to back away from its 2030 hosting proposal of a very scaled back Games. The Commonwealth Games Federation is expected to announce this coming week if Glasgow will host an emergency put together 2026 Games. It is also going to announce the future of the CGF Movement as it is currently formatted. It is now strongly rumoured that the "senior" version of the Games will finish either way and a focus given to the youth Games.

Christchurch 2030 bid study group told to end immediately by the NZOC. https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=newssearch&cd=&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=2ahUKEwiU-aGE87OIAxU9hlYBHdByKasQxfQBKAB6BAgIEAE&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.odt.co.nz%2Fnews%2Fnational%2Fchristchurch-urged-not-pursue-commonwealth-games&usg=AOvVaw3_qNB8Qfz7wkmgKRcyNFL3&opi=89978449 It looks like the NZOC has knowledge of the future of the Commonwealth Games Federation's future. Telling the Christchurch 2030 pushers to not bother and it looks likely the NZ wide 2034 bid could be quietly dropped.

I think we are watching the clock being deliberately run down for 2026. It's almost impossible to start planning even a very restricted event that would hope to have a full CGF member nations attendance. Use the cancellation fee money to develop the Youth Games.

One of those middle of the night moments...If we were to "save" the full adult edition of the CWGs...Instead of throwing the resources of the Commonwealth behind the Youth CWGs, which IMHO is the way forward for global soft power influence in nurturing our young up and coming future sports stars for the Olympics. Have been watching You Tube downloads on the various CWGs since TV was invented and comparing them over time. for me it's mainly around 1974 to 2006. Trying to find out what went wrong with hosting these once popular sports festivals. Clearly showing each host trying to better the previous games host. BUT one that stood out and still stands out today are the 1994 Games of the XV edition located in an unknown smaller (Canadian size) city of Victoria, British Columbia. It was panned at the time as being a mild let down from the spectacular Auckland XIV games four years previously, as too budget and rather basic in venues. Today in hindsight...that small city got it right. 1994 was the last time a "nine sport" games was hosted as the CGF suddenly got delusions of grandeur when Kuala Lumpa was chosen as hosts of the XVI and team sports were to be added, ramping up the size of teams and facilities to cope. From there on in the games "maxed out", culminating in the disastrous XIX edition in New Delhi. By the time it came to find a host for the XX edition in 2014, the CGF was struggling to find a host with applicant cities suddenly dropping away when confronted with what cost would be needed to host. We know the history from there to now... But getting back to 1994...This could be the answer to a future if the CWGs wish to survive. Commonwealth sports are what made these game great. We can't please every sports code out there and what they had in Victoria seem to balance out well. Do we need Sevens and Cricket in there now that the Olympics have embraced both sports with massive enthusiasm? Does the Olympic staple Lawn Hockey need to be there? Those facilities are expensive to build...When was the last time it was played on an actual lawn? The CWGs did their bit to get them noticed but surely, they don't need to add cost to a small city hosting the CWGs. Looking back now it's quite nostalgic watching the Opening and Closing ceremonies of 1994, that amazing Thunderbird depiction, the local Indigenous Salish peoples adding vibrancy...Oh and that amazing 1939 McLaughlan Buick straight six open top Royal Limousine being brought back as the official regal car. It look all so basic and budget at the time, and I was quite indifferent to 1994 as compared to the last time NZ would host in 1990 which many considered the first of the "mega games" in spectacle. Probably didn't help that the Australian athletes were predicted to completely mop the floor with everyone (as they just won the rights to host the 2000 Olympics), and then did!!!

Go down to the pre "mega games" era and drop the Sevens but bring back Shooting, simply because of cost savings and a reason to keep India in.

NZ Media - mainly the fake reactionary news leaning NZME network have started to report Glasgow as the stand in host for a very restricted and minimalist Games in 2026. Clearly having not researched any substantial evidence that the 2014 host city is the confirmed host. I wouldn't be jumping up and down in celebration just yet. Glasgow still needs to find the money to prepare. cost savings could include: Restricted team sizes Just the two Core sports groups Other sports fund themselves, i.e. Track Cycling in London. Whatever happens, the CWGs will look so different...and that may be a good thing.

I slept or worked through most of these games...But as I warmed to them, noticed they were well patronised and full of excitement. France just seemed to let everyone do their thing without too much hindrance from the authorities - who were there but not in everyone's faces. Really, it was Europe's show and proves that another mainland games could be hosted, perhaps in Germany, in 2036. In my "I can remember" lifetime, we are about to go full cycle as 2028 returns to LA. So this kind of resets the clock so to speak. In my own rankings it sort of works in there up with London 2012 as still my favourite and sort of pushing Barcelona 1992 out of second place into 3rd...yes I'm happy with 2024 as second favourite. The thing that bugged me the most was the opening ceremony and that stupid hot air balloon cauldron beacon thingy. It was just far too much. My rankings also include my home nation's (NZ) results at the games. I give these games a great effort and worthy A. (You can just sense LA28 holding back what are going to be an awesome spectacle of all time, coming) See you in LA 2028!

The last day on what looked like a games that seemed to go on...and on...(mainly because of the time difference) A Gold and a Bronze on the Cycle track ends New Zealand's Olympic Games efforts! New Zealand's final tally of medal booty... GOLD - 10 Silver - 7 Bronze - 3 A nation being left proud of its Athletes which matched Tokyo 2020(21) for its medal haul but bettered it on Gold. Our best games ever! Considering at one point it was looking like an Athens04 result...not the worst which belongs to Sydney00, not what we ended up with. As for Paris 2024, an A ...I slept or worked through most of it, but the positive reports do say they were well organised and well patronised. Apart from the Seine's water quality and Boxing pretty much ending its place at the games, (Women's boxing seriously? they were men!) nothing really negative about them. Of course next month, after the Para Games finish then Paris will go back to being set on fire by angry protesters and political opposing spectrum thugs!

A golden overnight day for New Zealand pushes our medal count up to 18 Gold for Lisa Carrington in the K500 Sprint Gold for Lydia Ko in Womens Golf Gold for Hamish Kerr in Men's High Jump. So far as the Games for NZ winds down, Gold 9, Silver 7, Bronze 2.

Just don't bother with them... As you can clearly see, Paris has shown that the World as a whole, is a different place now. Australia and NZ seem to be the oddball ones out there to find a regional games home to compete in. ASEAN or Asia Games have been suggested but really? Two Anglo seeded countries in among nations we have very little in common with? Could ask to join the Pan Ams or create a whole new regional concept of Pacific Games with countries that have shorelines on that Ocean. Getting back...Really, the CWGs are now dead. BUT the Youth Commonwealth Games are very much alive!

The tin has finally started to roll in... NZ up to 6 Gold, 7 Silver and 2 Bronze Still have a handful of chances to gain a couple more golds and a couple more silvers as well. Such a long games these have been but we have seen what LA28 is going to look like.

Two Golds and a Bronze keeps us going as NZ's participation at these games starts to wind down. It's been a distraction here as the country goes through an almighty Winter of Discontent last seen in the early 1990s. There is still hope for some more tin in the last days...But here's hoping. Surprisingly for the first time ever, there is support for Australia over here and we are quite chuffed at their standing on the medal table... Statistically on percentage of population, Australia leads. More incentive for Brisbane not to give up on 2032.

Well...Day 11, so much promised hope on the track and field. No medals to show for it all...BUT at least we are seeing the potential for the next eight years. Younger athletes coming through with really good PBs. Womens track cycling giving us a Silver in the team's pursuit. Other than that we will have to get by while sitting on our bums or lifting heavy weights.

Oh by did I watch this live ... 3am NZ time! So quick and Finn dominated right from the drop. Even the pro UK commentator couldn't believe what he just witnessed. Breaking the week-long Gold drought.  Also a quick Silver in the Woman's track cycling team pursuit. Best of all those long legged Supermodels of the Field events, Women's Pole Vaulting sees all three of NZ's vault team make it through to Thursday's final. 5am NZ time.

Mid Olympics blues...not much medal action NZ athletes are bunched up at either end of them. Have enjoyed the glamour events such as the 100m Sprint...Amazed at the technology to get a correct winner in 30secs - 20 years ago this would have taken many minutes. Also the 10hr time difference is more annoying over here in NZ... I just got myself onto nightshift so can now sneakily watch them on my phone - also something you couldn't do in Athens 04! BUT...Day 10 and we are up for some excitement with some very real medal hopes. Looking forward to tonight NZ time. Six chances for some tin!

A Silver in the rowing to end that program for 2024. Not a good day in the stadium with most participants knocked out of what they were competing in. But still other events to be had. This Olympics have been a long slow grind...One more week to go.

A Silver in the Yachting for an otherwise quiet day. No medal placings in the rowing but two more events to go their. Track and Field - the real Olympics - Sees both Jackko Gill and Tom Walsh in Mens Shot Put qualify for tomorrow's final. Zoe Hobbes qualify for the 200m women's sprint.

New round-up. A Gold, a Silver and a Bronze all in rowing today. Sailing was postponed until Saturday when weather is expected to provide more wind. Interesting to see some of the eastern European nations starting to do well in rowing. This will be something of concern to Rowing NZ as we go through a "down" cycle as younger rowers are still on their way up. Our rowing Eights program is testament to this as Rowing NZ said both men's and women's teams would only return in 2028. Two more medals are on offer with both Single Sculls finals tomorrow...That pretty much ends NZ's rowing program...Then we start the Kayaking.

Oh I watched this race...and was so wrapped for McKeown's victory... Made better in the prestart as the obnoxious US based Sky Sports announcer was over gushing how "USA owns the 100m Backstroke...this is their turf and the rest have come to challenge it!" Boom!...

Still a drought on NZ's medal table with Rowing no longer producing an abundance of tin... Rowing NZ did say after the 2021 Olympics that the long-term program has been set up for success in LA and Brisbane. Tonight (NZ time) there are rowing finals to be had...But the European teams are so strong as effectively they are at "home". Sailing finals will hopefully give us a surprise or two also.

Got a feeling they will use Gold Coast as a venue for Triathlon ?

I remember that...and the sycophantic MC laying it on thick as he announced the singing of GSTQ. Different world now though. (Will not be an Edinburgh '86 trainwreck, those games had too many outside influences tearing it apart...Jeez that closing ceremony!)

OH SO CLOSE!. But Yee found an extra gear in his stride... Nothing wrong with the river water... Silver!