The 2018 Commonwealth Games conclude
today! This year's edition has also been known as Commonwealth Games XXII and Gold
Coast 2018. The games take place in
Queensland, Australia, being the fifth time that country has hosted the
games. They have their origins in the
British Empire Games, which began in 1930, and have been held under various
names since then. The four Home Nations
of the United Kingdom, England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, all compete
under their own flags, along with 67 other countries. Australia has been dominant in many recent
editions of the games, including this year.
Countries participating in this year's Games:
This year's Games was opened by His Royal
Highness, Charles, Prince of Wales on
April 4th, and continues through today. Central
venue for the games is the newly constructed Carrara Stadium, in Gold Coast
City, which was also part of Australia's bid for the 2018 FIFA World Cup, which
will instead be held in Russia. In the
current medal count, hosts Australia are far and away the leaders with 79 Gold
Medals, England is second with 43, then India with 26, Canada with 15, and sharing
fifth, New Zealand and South Africa each with 13 Gold Medals. In the overall medal count, Canada is
currently in third place with 82 medals, India in fourth with 65.
Today's men's competitions include Track and
Field (Athletics), Basketball, Badminton, Rugby Sevens, Squash and Table
Tennis. There will be a women's medal
round in netball, which is an early version of something similar to basketball,
which seems to exist primarily in this competition. Lawn Bowls is also a medal
sport in the Commonwealth Games, along with so many other, more popular
sports.
Sadly, the Commonwealth Games has witnessed
arguably its most gripping and distressing moment when Scotland's Callum
Hawkins collapsed while leading the men's marathon 2 kilometres from the finish
line. He was leading by over two
minutes, but apparently, the 82 degree heat (28C) got to be too much for
him.
Aussie Mitch Larkin, a backstroker, was the
star of the show in the pool, and the aquatic competitions at the Commonwealth
Games are always exciting. Larkin competed in five events, and took five golds.
Larkin was a phenom in the water with victories in the 50m, 100m and 200m
backstroke events, and the 4x100m medley relay. But his star was truly
confirmed in the individual 200m medley, showing his ability in all strokes in
a sensational meet for the man from Buderim.
High jumper Brandon Starc, brother of
cricketer Mitchell Starc, well known to readers of this space, took the gold
medal, almost breaking the Australian record.
Gaurav Solanki became a hero to India after winning India's second Gold Medal ever in Boxing.
Also, a new champion has ascended the throne as the number one ranked player on the World Badminton standards. He is Indian Kidambi Srikanth. His father admitted that he put his son into Badminton training to keep him from being a teen couch potato, he was accepted because his brother already trained there, and he knew his son would have a "government job." Young Kidambi succeeded quickly in his own right, took the Gold at the Commonwealth Games, and found himself ranked number one in the world, higher than even his elder brother!
Ironically, Cricket is not a Commonwealth Games event, most likely because
it falls in the wrong point in that season.
Tragically, Water Polo is also omitted from the competition
schedule.
Congratulations to the Commonwealth at having mounted yet another successful Games!
