Let the Games begin
Forget the spit-stained walls, the unsightly loos, paw prints on athletes’ beds and flooded basements. Much of that has been tackled and as the overflowing Yamuna recedes towards normality, hopes are on the rise of a 19th edition of the Commonwealth Games that will be one to remember.
Just the figures — and not those dealing with cost over-runs or overpriced treadmills — are impressive. For the first time ever, the Commonwealth Games will see in e
xcess of 6,000 participants who will take the field in the 17 disciplines that will be contested over the next 12 days. The final number is 6,700, almost a thousand more than the previous best of 5,766 at the 2006 Melbourne Games.
Seventy-one nations and territories will be represented at the CWG, making this the largest gathering of sportspersons after the Olympic Games. Up for grabs are 272 gold medals and the quality of fields is just a step shy of the very best in at least four disciplines — athletics, swimming, cycling and shooting.
“More than 5,800 athletes and officials have already arrived in Delhi. With more arrivals scheduled in the coming days, Delhi 2010 is well on the way to becoming the biggest in history,” organising committee secretary-general Lalit Bhanot said on the day. “We are now looking forward to a successful and smooth Games.”
For hosts India, the stated ambition is to improve upon their previous best, third in the overall medals tally at Melbourne four years ago. Towards that end, they have assembled the largest team in national colours ever — 619 — to mount that push towards the elusive second place in the final standings behind traditional powerhouses Australia.
In at least five sports — shooting, wrestling, boxing, tennis and archery — the hosts are out to make a serious splash. At Melbourne, the shooters alone raked in a massive 27 medals to propel India up the medals tally. This time, with home advantage, not just the shooters, but entrants in almost every discipline bar those like athletics, swimming, rubgy and lawn bowls, have set their sights on mining metal and grabbing podium places.
Security too promises to be one of the bywords of these Games with the Capital all but shut down particularly for the opening and closing ceremonies that will be watched by a massive gathering of dignitaries including President Pratibha Patil and Prince Charles, who will be here representing the Queen, titular head of the Commonwealth.
After the 1951 and 1982 Asian Games, this is the third time India are playing host to an international, multi-sport gathering of this size. And given the nation’s growing stature in a number of fields, it is only natural for its athletes to also feel that the time is ripe for their moment in the sun.
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