Source: www.insidethegames.biz By Duncan Mackay
September 26 - Gold Coast's bid to host the 2018 Commonwealth Games could be aided by the problems which have overshadowed New Delhi's preparations, the city's Mayor Ron Clarke (pictured) has claimed, but he also warned Sri Lankan rivals Hambantota should not be written off because they may have the backing of China.
Clarke, the former world record holder for 10,000 metres, is optimistic that the Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF) members will view Gold Coast as a safe choice when they come to vote on the venue for 2018 at its meeting next year.
"We can be seen to be the new breath of fresh air, we could be the resurrection of the Games," he told the Brisbane Times.
"We could stage a wonderful Commonwealth Games and, if necessary, we could be the saviour of them."
Hambantota would be the smallest ever city to host the Games if they are chosen.
It has a population of only 11,000 - although that raises to 525,000 in the surrounding area - but is at the centre of a massive investment by China, who have identified it as a key strategic point in the Indian Ocean on the shipping route between the Suez Canal and the Malacca Straits.
Last month Sri Lanka President Mahinda Rajapaksa opened the first phase of a China-funded $1.5 billion (£973 million) port project in Hambantota.
"China is supporting them [Hambantota] and China has got lots of money to build new facilities and they have provided facilities and financial assistance to a lot of Commonwealth countries, particularly in Africa," said Clarke.
"So if they want to call in their charge, then no matter how it appears on the surface, that could have an influence on votes.
"We're respecting their bid - there's always that question about what does that Chinese investment mean for the bid, but no-one has the answers to those questions.
"This is not a lay down misere - you see what's happening in cricket at the moment, where suddenly there are different influences playing out.
"We're in a much more political world than we've ever been."
Queensland Premier Anna Bligh is due to travel to New Delhi later this week to continue lobbying on behalf of the Gold Coast's bid.
She will be joined by Federal Sport Minister Mark Arbib and other Gold Coast representatives CGF's General Assembly on Saturday (October 2) - the day before the Games are due to begin.
GAMES
Gold Coast bid chairman predicts tough battle for 2018 Games
Source: www.insidethegames.biz By Tom Degun in New Delhi
October 12 - Mark Stockwell (pictured right), chairman of the Gold Coast 2018 bid team, told insidethegames his team faces a tough fight with Hambantota to secure the 21st Commonwealth Games - despite media reports suggesting the Australian city is the early front-runner.
Gold Coast stole a march on their rivals during their trip to Delhi by taking the opportunity to give a presentation to the 71 countries and territories of the Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF) at a special meeting attended by Prince Edward just six days ago.
The Hambantota bid team chose not to make a presentation, despite the fact that attendees of the meeting will vote for the city that hosts the 2018 event, sparking claims that the competition is now the Gold Coast’s for the taking.
However, Stockwell completely dismissed such suggestions predicting the vote will come right down to the wire.
He said: "I felt that here in Delhi, the time was right to get on the front foot, play a few of our cards and show a little bit of what we’re about and what we have to offer.
"But to say that we’re ahead in the bid race or anything like that is just nonsense and I don’t believe that at all.
"It’s very much a two-horse race and Hambantota are definitely out there lobbying hard for it.
"They haven’t really played their hand yet, so to be honest I don’t really know anything at all about their bid.
"They’re holding their cards very close to their chest but they’ve obviously got their own game plan and they know what they are doing.
"They may not have taken the opportunity to make a presentation on their bid but they have done everything that has been requested of them through the official channels so you can’t ask for much more.
"The best thing we can do though is concentrate on what we can deliver and we’re going to keep fighting as hard as we can.
"The Commonwealth Games is a competition where we pay homage to athletes’ competing and we are definitely in a competition with this bid so we’re competing hard."
After major problems in Delhi - ranging from health and safety concerns to reports of corruption and high profile athlete boycotts - it is considered likely that the CGF would be tempted to take the lower risk option of taking the 2018 Games to Australia, which has hosted the competition four times before, mostly recent in 2006 when Melbourne staged a highly successful event that earned more in sponsorship revenue than the 2000 Sydney Olympics and Paralympics.
Stockwell however, disagrees.
"It is fair to say the CGF know what they are going to get coming to the Gold Coast.
"They’ve all been to Sydney for the Olympic and Paralympics in 2000 and they’ve all been to Melbourne for the Commonwealth Games in 2006 so they know what we are going to offer.
"Yes, maybe we do offer the safer option on paper but there are times when the CGF will want to take a risk and take the Games to new parts of the world so that’s what we’re really up against.
"I mean, it would get a bit boring if the Commonwealth Games were the same all the time.
"I would say that we offer a different Games on the Gold Coast.
"Australia is such a big country that you can’t really compare Melbourne or Sydney to the Gold Coast geographically because they are so far away - it is almost like they are in different countries.
"I feel the Gold Coast would be a great addition to the Commonwealth Games because it’s relaxed, it’s really beautiful and the lack of formality from the laid back people there would be a great feature.
"We’re obviously over here working hard on building relationships with the Commonwealth Games family, learning from Delhi and actually working closely with the Glasgow 2014 team, who have been very helpful in sharing information which is great and how it should be.
"But we know we’ve got a real scrap on our hands with Hambantota and we’ll be giving it everything we’ve got until the end."
Delhi closes on a high
Source: www.trinidadexpress.com
Delhi put on a second flawless spectacle of song and dance yesterday to close the Commonwealth Games on a high after at one stage threatening to become a national embarrassment to India.
The US$6 billion Games started in crisis and struggled through a first week of organisational blunders before finally getting into its stride to leave athletes happy and a host nation proud of its best-ever showing in the sporting arena.
NZ win Commonwealth sevens gold medal
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
New Zealand won Commonwealth rugby sevens gold after recovering from 10 points down to beat Australia 24-17.
The Kiwis scored the last three tries of the Delhi final to secure their fourth successive Commonwealth title.
England missed out on a medal after losing 33-12 to New Zealand in the semi-finals and 17-14 to South Africa in the match for bronze.
Haqq fight for Boxing gold in Delhi
Source: www.guardian.co.tt by Clayton Clarke.
T&T boxer Tariq Abdul Haqq qualified for the gold medal bout in the men’s super-heavyweight (+91kg) at the 19th Commonwealth Games at the Talkatora indoor Stadium, yesterday. Abdul Haqq, who won a bronze medal at the Central American and Caribbean Games earlier this year, out-punched Blaise Yepmou of the Cameroon by seven points to five in the semifinals.
Rugby: Indian fans, players catch on to sevens
Source: www.nzherald.co.nz By Dylan Cleaver
About the only thing that stopped this from looking like a scene out of any rugby country in the world was the hundreds of kites - of the avian variety - circling overhead, waiting for the players to move so they could swoop on the insects.
"I was looking out there before the game and there are some big suckers, aye," said New Zealand's first try-scorer of the tournament Kurt Baker.
Menacing birds aside, the venue is an oasis. Tucked away in leafy Delhi University, it is a world away from the hubbub of the city.There was some concern on Thursday when the electronic scoreboard came loose and smashed to the ground. It was fixed "with typical Swiss efficiency", according to a release.
Read into that what you will.
The facility is otherwise excellent, the surface near perfect and the stands were filling by the hour - could sevens emerge as one of the unlikely stars of the games?