2002 Commonwealth Games
Encyclopedia : 2 : 20 : 200 : 2002 Commonwealth Games
| 17th Commonwealth Games | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Host city
| Manchester, England
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| Nations participating
| 72 Nations of the Commonwealth
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| Athletes participating
| 3,863
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| Events
| 14 individual and 3 team sports
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| Opening ceremony
| July 25, 2002
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| Closing ceremony
| August 4, 2002
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| Officially opened by
| Queen Elizabeth II
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| Queen's Baton Final Runner
| David Beckham and Kirsty Howard
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| Main Stadium
| City of Manchester Stadium
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| Motto
| Count Yourself In..
|} The 2002 Commonwealth Games were held in Manchester, England from July 25 to August 4. It was the largest multi-sport event ever to be held in England, eclipsing in size the 1948 Summer Olympics, in terms of teams and athletes participating. The Games formed the catalyst for the widespread regeneration and development of the city, and bolstered the city's reputation as an "up and coming" European and World City. Events were held across Greater Manchester, however the Opening and Closing ceremonies, the athletic and Rugby 7's events were held at the City of Manchester Stadium, purpose built for the Games. 72 nations competed in 14 individual sports and 3 team sports events. 
Spirit of Friendship Festival logo
Contents
List of SportsThere were the maximum of 17 sports included in the schedule for the 2002 Commonwealth Games.
Participating TeamsThere were 72 participating countries, territories and Commonwealth regions at the 2002 Commonwealth Games. In alphabetical order, these included:
Queen's Jubilee Baton RelayThe 2002 Queen's Jubilee Baton Relay as in previous Games, consisted of the relay of an electronic baton, containing a personal message from Queen Elizabath II across 23 Commonwealth nations. The relay culminated in the arrival of the baton at the City of Manchester Stadium, opening the Games. The speech was then removed electronically from the baton, and read by her majesty to open the Games. The 2002 Baton itself was designed by a company called IDEO, and was constructed of machined aluminium with the handle plated for conductivity. It weighed 1.69 kg, reached over 710mm, and was 42.5mm to 85mm in diameter. The Queen’s message itself was held in an aluminium capsule inserted into the top of the Baton. On either side of the Baton were two sterling silver coins, designed by Mappin and Webb, which celebrated the City of Manchester as host of the XVII Commonwealth Games. The Baton was also equipped with sensors that detected and monitored the Runner’s pulse rate. This information was then conveyed to a series of Light Emitting Diodes (LEDs), via a light behaviour module. The lens then transformed the LEDs into a shaft of bright blue pulsating light which synchronised with each new Runner. The hearts of the Runner and the Baton then beat as one until it wass passed on, symbolising the journey of humanity and the essence of life. The Queen's Jubilee Baton Relay passed through over 500 cities, towns and villages across the UK and the Baton was carried by 5,000 individuals, with each Runner carrying the Baton up to 500 yards. The UK Baton Runners were made up of people from all walks of life including athletes, celebrities and local heroes from all over the country. Around 2500 Jubilee Runners were nominated by the community to carry the Baton, because they made a special contribution to their community or achieved a personal goal against the odds. The judging of the Jubilee Runners was conducted by a panel of judges under the supervision of The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award in January 2002. Opening CeremonyFive-time Olympic champion Sir Steve Redgrave got the two-and-a-quarter-hour opening ceremony underway by banging a huge drum, which initiated a huge co-ordinated dance and fireworks act. The champion rower was joined on the stage by such sporting stars including yachtswoman Ellen MacArthur, heptathlete Denise Lewis, long-distance runner Moses Kiptanui, swimmer Susie O'Neill and sprinter Donovan Bailey. The Grenadier Guards shared the arena with pop band S Club and opera singer Russell Watson sung the Games' theme, "Faith of the Heart", while the Queen's arrival was greeted with a flypast by the Red Arrows. England football captain David Beckham helped chaperone Queen's Baton final runner Kirsty Howard, assisting the terminally ill six-year-old to hand the baton to the Queen. A 4,000-strong cast took part in the £12m spectacular, which in theme and tone consisted of a mix of "pomp and pop", combining the ceremonial aspects of the Games with a party-style atmosphere, based around Manchester's reputation as the party city of "Mad-chester". The traditional athletes' parade was started by previous hosts Malaysia, and England brung up the rear before the Queen, the Head of the Commonwealth, declared the Games open: "All of us participating in this ceremony tonight, whether athletes or spectators, or those watching on television around the world, can share in the ideals of this unique association of nations," "We can all draw inspiration from what the Commonwealth stands for, our diversity as a source of strength, our tradition of tolerance...our focus on young people, for they are our future." Memorable events
Medal Table by Country(Host nation is highlighted)
Cultureshock and Festival Live
Manchester Mela 2002
Cultureshock was the Commonwealth Games Cultural Programme which ran alongside the Games themselves. The events ranged from images of the athlete as hero in sculpture and photography (Go! Freeze, which ran at Turton Tower in Bolton to a Zulu performance at The Lowry. There was an exhibition at the Whitworth Art Gallery called Tales of Power: West African Textiles, and a performance of the film Monsoon Wedding at Clwyd Theatr Cymru. The geographical range was from Cheshire in the south to Blackburn and Cumbria in the north, and included that year the various Melas that take place around the region. Cultureshock also ensured that a wide range of cultural events and acts reached the "man on the street", with the city centre of Manchester filled with bands, performers, and artists of various forms entertaining the thousands of visitors to the Games. Cultureshock also coincided with the BBC's Festival Live series of open air concerts and celebrations around the country, held to celebrate the Queen's Golden Jubilee. Closing CeremonyThe Queen ended 11 days of competition at an entertaining, rain-drenched closing ceremony in the City of Manchester Stadium. She declared the Games closed in front of a 38,000 sell-out crowd gathered in the Stadium for a grand party. She also called on the athletes to assemble again in four years in Melbourne and to continue displaying the "friendship" they had shown in Manchester.The ceremony, attended by Prime Minister Tony Blair and several other dignitaries, took place in pouring rain but like the opening ceremony, mixed "pomp with pop". Australian Ian Thorpe, the star of the Games with his six swimming golds, carried his national flag into the arena, along with athletes from each of the other competing countries. And around 40,000 balloons were released into the rainy Manchester sky as the ceremony concluded with a spectacular fireworks display. Closing ceremony highlights included:
Legacy and impact on host nationThe legacy of the Manchester 2002 Commonwealth Games was widespread for the city and indeed the UK. The Games raised the reputation of Manchester worldwide, positioning it as a thriving, modern city, successfully regenerated from its industrial past. Pubs and restaurants in Manchester reported a threefold increase in takings during the Games, and local tourism board Marketing Manchester estimate some 300,000 more visitors will come to the city each year as a result of its increased profile. In terms of infrastructure, the Games were the catalyst for the widepsread redevelopment of the east of the city, an area which had remained derelict since the departure of heavy industry some decades before. A new commercial centre for East Manchester, based around the stadium has been created, known as SportCity. Legacy sporting facilities remain for tennis, squash, athletics, cycling and football, as well as shops, supermarkets and new housing. In the South of the city, legacy facilities for Aquatics, the Manchester Aquatics Centre and comprehensive urgrades of Belle Vue and Moss Side leisure centres serve their local communities. In terms of the rest of the UK, it is believed that the Games raised perception of the country's ability to organise major sporting events. Indeed, commentators believe that successful implementation of the 2002 Games was one of the reasons for the IOC's decision to award the 2012 Summer Olympics to London three years later. At the closing ceremony, British Olympic Association chairman Craig Reedie said they could help pave the way for a possible bid from London for the 2012 Olympics. (Source: BBC News) Manchester 2002 chairman Charles Allen declared: "I can't tell you how proud I am of my team, who have created the biggest andmost successful multi-sport event ever held in Britain. "I believe for everyone touched by the spirit of these Games, it is a memory that will be a valuable part of the rest of our lives." External links
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