Glasgow 2014

[intoronto]

Susan Nattrass a 63 year old shooter has been named as Canada's flagbearer for the Opening Ceremony.

[ofan]

Susan Nattrass a 63 year old shooter has been named as Canada's flagbearer for the Opening Ceremony.

I like that decision. She's a legend and made the finals in Athens. Good call.

[Alexjc]

Usain Bolt is doubting he would be allowed to compete next month as he cannot attend a final qualiying competition on Saturday in Jamaica. All contenders who wish to go must participate. He also said if he is given dispensation to automatically qualify, he doesn't want to replace another up and comming athlete in the sprint team. He did say he would participate in the relay team if asked though.

[Ikarus360]

BBC Trailer for the 2014 Commonwealth Games

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m10UoEGE2GU

[intoronto]

Medal ceremony music

[JMarkSnow2012]

Medal ceremony music

Rent-a-theme, with some bagpipes.

[adrianme17]

Rent-a-theme, with some bagpipes.

A bit harsh - kind of know what you mean but we didn't hear all of it? I quite liked what I heard - at least they aren't rehashing the Melbourne 2006 theme that Delhi did in 2010!

[JMarkSnow2012]

A bit harsh - kind of know what you mean but we didn't hear all of it? I quite liked what I heard - at least they aren't rehashing the Melbourne 2006 theme that Delhi did in 2010!

Yes it's likeable- but very calculatedly likeable. Imagine if, instead, they'd paid tribute to the late, great, Glaswegian, Ivor Cutler:

(And Oliver Knussen, of "Where the Wild Things Are" opera fame, was also born in Glasgow)

[Scotguy]

[mattygs]

All that's missing is a floral clock, it's not the Commonwealth Games without a floral clock.

I don't mind the theme from what I've heard so far.

Greg Bowman is usually pretty good at composing some stirring medal ceremonies music- Call to Glory for Sydney being the obvious one.

[Alexjc]

All that's missing is a floral clock, it's not the Commonwealth Games without a floral clock.

I don't mind the theme from what I've heard so far.

Greg Bowman is usually pretty good at composing some stirring medal ceremonies music- Call to Glory for Sydney being the obvious one.

Pwah haa...one of those tacky traditional CWGs things...

[Ikarus360]

Not sure if posted already but this is Scotland outfit for the Opening Ceremony...um, okay?

Not a big fan of these, to be honest. But others might have a different opinion.

[Alexjc]

Not sure if posted already but this is Scotland outfit for the Opening Ceremony...um, okay?

Not a big fan of these, to be honest. But others might have a different opinion.

It was International Kilt Day! When the Kilts and Tartan ban was lifted after being imposed in the 18th century. Wow two and bit weeks to go!

[yoshi]

Any new pics from Celtic Park? Won't be too long until they get rehearsals going...

[Sir Rols]

I was going to post this yesterday, till I got, err, sidetracked.

Also wasn't sure where to put it - it's no exactly a venue, but nevertheless one of the most important pieces of the gams puzzle:

Secrets of the Glasgow 2014 Athletes' Village

It was previous International Olympic Committee President Jacques Rogge who first made a point of staying at least one night in the Athletes' Village during the Olympic Games.

It is an honour usually reserved for the athletes, so Glasgow 2014's invitation to be among the first occupants before the competitors of the Commonwealth arrive was too good an opportunity to miss.

We headed for Dalmarnock in the East End of Glasgow, to see exactly where where Usain Bolt and co will rub shoulders with lawn bowlers from the Norfolk Islands, rugby players from Sri Lanka and netballers from Malawi .

"Some of these people really are stars - even to the other athletes," said Glasgow 2014 Athletes representative and former Scotland hockey star Rhona Simpson.

The Games Village stretches over 35 hectares and will be home to 6,500 athletes and officials over the next two-and-a-half weeks. Each accommodation block is fitted with solar panels, which it must be said, seemed the height of optimism as heavy rain fell to greet our arrival.

The first number of the Village Voice -The Wee newspaper for a great Games offered advice on the notoriously capricious weather. "One thumb up and one thumb down." Not quite as scientific a forecast as that from the Meteorological Office perhaps, but it just about summed up our day here.

It is the one thing that Glasgow 2014 chief executive David Grevemberg can do nothing about, though he might care to recall that the weeks leading up to London 2012 were every bit as unpromising. Then, as if by magic, the clouds rolled away for almost the entire Olympic fortnight. In fact within a few hours the sun was finally putting those solar panels to good use. The flags of the 71 teams due to compete in the Commonwealth Games, which open on July 23, were billowing in a gentle breeze on a summer evening and the village suddenly became a very pleasant place to be.

It is within walking distance of Celtic Park, the venue for the Opening Ceremony of these Games. Celtic football supporters call their ground "Paradise". Commonwealth Games competitors may soon be singing the praises of their new, but temporary, home in similar vein. For ease of navigation the residential zone is split into Castle, Clan, Loch and Mountain quarters. The names have been chosen to give the village a Scottish flavour.

Glasgow City Council Deputy Leader Archie Graham has called the Village "A huge transformation".

Here they've made a point of keeping the buildings very low level, most are a maximum two storeys. Each block has bathrooms with walk-in shower and there is a communal room for watching television .Many of the fixtures and fittings will look familiar to those who took part in London 2012 - Glasgow took over much of the furniture. For the time being none of the apartments in this Village have kitchens. These will be "retro-fitted" when the athletes have moved out. The Village will then be converted into 700 new homes. Three hundred of them will be privately sold, 300 will be affordable housing and the remainder will be made available in what is described as "mid-market" rental. Graham claims reservations for the properties post Games have already "exceeded all expectations".

They have all been built with accessibility in mind. One area has been specifically adapted to the needs of the elite athletes with a disablity competitors. It will later be used as a care home for the elderly.

Grevemberg believes the Village will have a "combination of breathing space, state of the art facilities and a warm welcome".

The beds were comfortable and the rooms airy and clean. Everyone I spoke to enjoyed a good nights sleep. Some like Mr Bolt might need a longer bed and that, we were assured, can be provided.

The advance parties for the first teams are preparing for their arrival so this was a last chance for organisers to iron out the last few snags. If any remain during the Games, they'll be ironed out by the Village Chieftains. Their identities will be revealed next week. In other Games, they have been known as Village Mayors. They will be the contact point for team leaders and will hold regular meetings to solve any problems at 8am sharp each morning.

There's one Village department which would be quite happy if they did not have anything to do during the Games. The Polyclinic offers 11 different medical services. They've recruited some 1,400 medical specialists from across the United Kingdom, many of them volunteers. They also have a hotline to National Health experts so they can get early warning of any infections or contagious illnesses.

Medical chief Liz Mendl is well aware of the peculiar demands of her patients. Her clinic includes the almost obligatory ice baths but also offers physiotherapy and massage services. "We will try to offer the best possible advice,knowing that they want to compete," she said.

The Clyde, the great river which runs through the city, passes by the back door and those athletes so inclined can take a riverside run.If that makes them a little peckish, the main dining room can take care of almost every need. More than 2,000 people can be seated at any one time in a temporary structure which is over twice the size of an Olympic swimming pool.

Breakfast is expected to be the busiest time of the day. Our choices included cereal, yoghurts, a range of fruits, pastries and cakes and the full "Scottish breakfast" with everything from sausages, bacon, eggs to black pudding. Staff assured me that the great Scottish delicacy haggis will definitely be on the menu during the Games. The 150 chefs are somehow producing 2,000 different items, so they'll have to work to keep the menu interesting. They can also knock up a birthday cake to order. In 1970 the chefs in Edinburgh produced a special light cake for hurdler David Hemery, who celebrated his 26th birthday with gold in the 110 metres hurdles that same day.

Hot choices include spicy kitchen, Halal food, pizza and pasta, a deli, classic meals from Scotland and the rest of the United Kingdom. There's even a special gluten free toasting station. By the time the Games are over, organisers estimate the small matter of 400,000 meals will have been prepared. That is to say nothing of the grab'n go options available for athletes in a hurry.

Liquid refreshment is available next door at the Village bar. Organisers even ran a competition to find a name.

The winning entry came from former Scotland and Great Britain hammer thrower Shirley Addison. "Its a nod to the 19th hole in Golf which is the bar," she said. "Athletics tracks and swimming pools usually have eight lanes. I very much hope The 9th Lane will be a place for athletes to celebrate their successes, pick themselves up from disappointments and most importantly be a place where lifelong friendships are formed."

Musical entertainment will be a big part of the Village vibe and on the night we were there, the Cairn String Quartet, an all female ensemble formed of students from the Royal Glasgow Conservatoire, played Katy Perry's hit "Firework" as you've surely never heard it before. The Village social programme will also include a Ceilidh, a traditional Scottish musical celebration. There are dance simulators for those who wish to polish up their moves before hitting the disco. A golf simulator is also set to help athletes find their range.

It is all a far cry from the first British Empire Games held in Hamilton in 1930. Back then competitors were housed in dormitory style rooms in the Prince of Wales School, Hamilton, Ontario, "a beautiful modern three storey building" it was claimed. Organisers boasted that the dining hall had room for 200, a tenth of the number they can accommodate today.

Hamilton officials boasted "arrangements are so complete that a postal substation has been installed for the use of the athletes." Communication has moved along a bit since then.In Glasgow, Tablets and laptops will be available for loan. In fact the entire Village could be described as a wifi hotspot.

Some of the other statistics are mindblowing. The Village is 35 hectares, the size of 54 football pitches, and it will house 6,500 occupants who will get through 26,000 bed sheets and 12,000 pillowcases during the Games. They will be served by a workforce of 2,000.

In 1970, when the Games were first held in Scotland, it had originally been planned to use the Redford Military Barracks but when these were unavailable, Edinburgh University halls of residence were pressed into service. Back then, the last word in fashion was the Village hairdresser. Now athletes are no longer content with national colours on uniforms alone but want them on their finger nails too.The idea proved a big hit at London 2012, so the nail bar will have a palate of all the participating teams . Expect the host nation's saltire to be particularly popular. More intricate designs, such as the flag of Fiji, will test the skill of the nail painters.

Meanwhile, 2014 mascot Clyde has been limbering up for a big race on the Village green on July 28. He is rumoured to have a secret training regime and claims "my mate Usain usually pops over to do some light sprinting". Race opponents are expected to include 2012 Olympic mascots Wenlock and Mandeville, who might well prove easier to beat.

Insidethegames

Edited July 7, 2014 by Sir Rols

[JMarkSnow2012]

I was going to post this yesterday, till I got, err, sidetracked.

Also wasn't sure where to put it - it's no exactly a venue, but nevertheless one of the most important pieces of the gams puzzle:

Here's the BBC version (with photos suspiciously similar)

And of course The Herald, and The Scotsman with some interesting comments from local readers appended.

[woohooitsme83]

All that's missing is a floral clock, it's not the Commonwealth Games without a floral clock.

I can imagine Clyde being in the center of it. He is grass (?) after all...

[Alexjc]

They just finished an articl on comparing 1986 to 2014, atmosphere and all...So totally different. Back then, very doom and gloomy with the CWGs already battered by boycotting. This year looking optimistic and moving on to a brighter future and tbe general feeling of excitement missing from Scotland's last hosting. I guess that's what the lasting images were stuck in my mind, made more so by my visit to Glasgow in 1990...Now we move forward.

[Scotguy]

Any new pics from Celtic Park? Won't be too long until they get rehearsals going...

Getting ready for the OC

[Alexjc]

This is going to look so interesting...

I wonder if those future Olympic hosts and bidders will take note of how those always expensive OCs and CCs can be trimmed back without removing a lot of the brouhaha.

Sitting in Celtic Park you pretty much are part of it. Are we looking at the end of the mega stadium?

[ofan]

^no

[Scotguy]

25 mini designed Clyde statues will be positioned around the city

[Ikarus360]

I have a feeling the ceremony is going to be very minimalist, dunno why. Not that it's a bad thing, though. Also i like that tartan pattern in the border

[Sir Rols]

Not sure if posted already but this is Scotland outfit for the Opening Ceremony...um, okay?

Not a big fan of these, to be honest. But others might have a different opinion.

Well, it sure seems to be raising the ire of a lot of Scots. About as popular an unveiling as the London 2012 logo.

Team Scotland Commonwealth Games uniforms condemned by online petition

More than 5,000 people have signed a petition to scrap the uniforms to be worn by Team Scotland at the Commonwealth Games opening ceremony.

According to the BBC, the campaign to have the turquoise, fuchsia and navy tartan outfits, designed by the textile artist Jilli Blackwood, ditched has spread around the world.

The Commonwealth Games begin in Glasgow on 23 July with a ceremony at Celtic Park featuring athletes wearing the parade uniform. Comments on Twitter have compared it to “a pair of curtains” or “something a 70s dance troupe would wear”.

Lorna Gillies has backed the change.org petition “to stop the host nation being a laughing stock”. She told the BBC: “I’m a Scot living in Australia and this monstrosity of an outfit is an embarrassment to our nation. My Australian friends have had a good laugh at it, asking if it’s actually a joke.

“They won’t be the only other nation laughing. Change it and let our athletes wear an outfit they can feel pride in, not embarrassment.”

Blackwood has meanwhile defended the uniform saying that “if everyone liked it, I wouldn’t be doing my job.”

The Guardian

[TheOtherRob]

I like the tartan and I like the blue but not together. The women don't look like athletes at all. And I've just noticed the Malvolio yellow socks. They really don't work.