17th Commonwealth Games
Host city	Manchester, England
Nations participating	72[1]
Athletes participating	3,863
Events	14 individual and 3 team sports
Opening ceremony	July 25, 2002
Closing ceremony	August 4, 2002
Officially opened by	Queen Elizabeth II
Queen's Baton Final Runner	David Beckham and Kirsty Howard
Main Stadium	City of Manchester Stadium
Motto	The Spirit of Friendship[2]

The 2002 Commonwealth Games were held in Manchester, England from July 25 to August 4, 2002. England is a Country which is part of the United Kingdom. Its inhabitants account for more than 83% of the total UK population whilst its mainland Events 285 - Diocletian appoints Maximian as Caesar, co-ruler See also 2002 (disambiguation Year 2002 ( MMII) was a Common year starting on Tuesday of the Gregorian calendar. Events 70 - The Destruction of the Second Temple in Jerusalem by the Romans. See also 2002 (disambiguation Year 2002 ( MMII) was a Common year starting on Tuesday of the Gregorian calendar. For the ship see RMS Queen Elizabeth 2 Elizabeth II (Elizabeth Alexandra Mary Context States headed by Elizabeth II The Queen's Baton Relay, similar to the Olympic Torch Relay is a relay around the world held prior to the beginning of the Commonwealth Games. David Robert Joseph Beckham, and is also a member of the England national team. Kirsty Howard (born September 20, 1995) is a British girl most notable for her charity work The City of Manchester Stadium, which is also known as COMS or Eastlands, is a sports venue in Manchester, England. A motto (from the Italian word motto, meaning witticism sentence is a phrase meant to formally describe the general motivation or intention of a social group England is a Country which is part of the United Kingdom. Its inhabitants account for more than 83% of the total UK population whilst its mainland Events 285 - Diocletian appoints Maximian as Caesar, co-ruler Events 70 - The Destruction of the Second Temple in Jerusalem by the Romans. See also 2002 (disambiguation Year 2002 ( MMII) was a Common year starting on Tuesday of the Gregorian calendar. The XVII Commonwealth Games was the largest multi-sport event ever to be held in England, eclipsing London's 1948 Summer Olympics in numbers of teams and athletes participating. The Commonwealth Games is a multinational Multi-sport event. Held every four years it involves the elite athletes of the Commonwealth of Nations. London ( ˈlʌndən is the capital and largest urban area in the United Kingdom. The 1948 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XIV Olympiad, were an International Multi-sport event which was held in London

The Games formed the catalyst for the widespread regeneration and development of Manchester, and bolstered its reputation as a European and world city.

Events were held across Greater Manchester. Greater Manchester is a Metropolitan county in North West England, with a population of 2 The opening and closing ceremonies, the athletic and the rugby 7s events were held at the City of Manchester Stadium, which was purpose built for the Games. The City of Manchester Stadium, which is also known as COMS or Eastlands, is a sports venue in Manchester, England. Unusually for a large multi-sport event – the second largest competition by number of countries and athletes participating – the shooting events were held in the National Shooting Centre in Bisley, Surrey, some 200 miles (322 km) from the main focus of the Games in Manchester. The village of Bisley, in Surrey, England which is notable for Rifle shooting

Seventy-two nations competed in 14 individual sports and 3 team sports events.

List of sports

Countries that competed

There were the maximum of 17 sports included in the schedule for the 2002 Commonwealth Games.

Further information: 2002 Commonwealth Games results

After experimenting with it on a smaller scale at the 1994 Commonwealth Games and dropping it at the 1998 Games, disabled competitions were held in swimming, athletics, bowls, table tennis and weightlifting (powerlifting). The 1994 Commonwealth Games were held from 18 August to 28 August 1994 in Victoria British Columbia, Canada. The 1998 XVI Commonwealth Games were held in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia from 11 September to 21 September 1998 making it the first Asian Disabled sports are sports played by persons with a Disability, including physical and Intellectual disabilities. Powerlifting is a strength Sport, consisting of three events the squat, the Bench press, and the Deadlift. The medals were added to the final tally for each nation.

Participating teams

There were 72 participating countries, territories, and Commonwealth regions at the 2002 Commonwealth Games. In alphabetical order, these included:

Queen's Jubilee Baton Relay

The 2002 Queen's Jubilee Baton Relay, the continuation of a tradition that started with the 1958 Games, consisted of the relay of an electronic baton, containing a personal message from Queen Elizabeth II across 23 Commonwealth nations. Anguilla at the 2002 Commonwealth Games was represented by Anguilla Amateur Athletic Association (AAAA and abbreviated ANG Antigua and Barbuda at the 2002 Commonwealth Games was represented by Anguilla Amateur Athletic Association (AAAA and abbreviated xx Australia at the 2002 Commonwealth Games was represented by Australia Commonwealth Games Association (ACGA and abbreviated AUS Bahamas at the 2002 Commonwealth Games was represented by Bahamas Olympic Association (BOA and abbreviated xx British Virgin Islands at the 2002 Commonwealth Games was represented by British Virgin Islands Olympic Committee and abbreviated BVI England at the 2002 Commonwealth Games was represented by the Commonwealth Games Council for England (CGCE Falkland Islands at the 2002 Commonwealth Games was represented by Falkand Islands Overseas Sports Association and India participated in the 2002 Commonwealth Games in Manchester Nauru was represented at the 2002 Commonwealth Games in Manchester by a team consisiting solely of weight-lifters Niue at the 2002 Commonwealth Games was represented by Niue Island Association & National Olympic Committee and abbreviated NIU Scotland sent a team of 207 athletes and 85 officials to the 2002 Commonwealth Games in Manchester, England. Tuvalu sent a small delegation of Table tennis players only to the 2002 Commonwealth Games in Manchester. Wales at the 2002 Commonwealth Games was represented by the Commonwealth Games Council for Wales (CGCE The Queen's Baton Relay, similar to the Olympic Torch Relay is a relay around the world held prior to the beginning of the Commonwealth Games. The 1958 British Empire and Commonwealth Games were held in Cardiff, south Wales July 18-26 1958 For the ship see RMS Queen Elizabeth 2 Elizabeth II (Elizabeth Alexandra Mary Context States headed by Elizabeth II 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. WikipediaNaming It weighed 1. 69 kg, reached over 710 mm, and was 42. 5 mm to 85 mm 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. Sterling silver is an Alloy of Silver containing 925% pure silver and 7

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 was 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, however on Saturday 15 June, the baton was snatched from a runners hand in the town of Connah's Quay, Deeside. Events 763 BC - Assyrians record a Solar eclipse that will be used to fix the Chronology of Mesopotamian history Connah's Quay (Cei Connah is the largest Town in Flintshire, North Wales, lying on the River Dee, near the border with England For Royal Deeside see River Dee Aberdeenshire Deeside (Glannau Dyfrdwy is the name given to the predominantly industrial Conurbation of towns that

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. January 2002: ← - January - February - March - April - May - June - July - August The relay was sponsored by Cadbury Schweppes, a major UK confectionery and soft drinks manufacturer. Cadbury plc () is a Confectionery and Beverage

Opening ceremony

Five-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. Sir Stephen Geoffrey Redgrave CBE (born on 23 March, 1962, in Marlow) is a British Rower who won gold medals at five

The champion rower was joined on the stage by sporting stars including yachtswoman Ellen MacArthur, heptathlete Denise Lewis, long-distance runner Moses Kiptanui, swimmer Susie O'Neill and sprinter Donovan Bailey. Dame Ellen Patricia MacArthur, DBE (born 8 July 1976) is an English Sailor from Whatstandwell near Matlock Denise Lewis OBE (born August 27, 1972, in West Bromwich, England) is a British athlete who specialises Moses Kiptanui (born October 1, 1970 in Marakwet District, Kenya) is a middle and long distance athlete Susan ("Susie" O'Neill (born August 2 1973) is an Australian former competitive swimmer from Brisbane, Queensland, who was famously Donovan Bailey (born December 16, 1967) is a retired Canadian sprinter who once held the world record for the 100 metre race following

The Grenadier Guards shared the arena with pop band S Club and Salford-born opera singer Russell Watson sang the Games' theme, "Faith of the Heart", while the arrival of Her Majesty the Queen was greeted with a flypast by the Red Arrows. The Grenadier Guards (GREN GDS is the most senior Regiment of the Guards Division of the British Army, and as such is the most senior regiment of infantry S Club, formerly known as S Club 7, was a pop group created by former Spice Girls manager Simon Fuller. Salford lies at the heart of the City of Salford, a Metropolitan borough of Greater Manchester, in North West England. Russell Watson (born 24 November 1966) is an English Tenor who has released singles and Albums of both operatic For the ship see RMS Queen Elizabeth 2 Elizabeth II (Elizabeth Alexandra Mary Context States headed by Elizabeth II The Red Arrows, officially known as the Royal Air Force Aerobatic Team, is the Aerobatics display team of the Royal Air Force, based at RAF Scampton

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. David Robert Joseph Beckham, and is also a member of the England national team. Kirsty Howard (born September 20, 1995) is a British girl most notable for her charity work 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 "Madchester". Madchester was an Alternative rock genre that developed in Manchester, England, towards the end of the 1980s and into the early 1990s The ceremony was voiced by broadcaster Anthony Davis. Anthony Davis may refer to Anthony Davis (composer (born 1951 American composer and jazz pianist Anthony Davis (running back (born 1952

The traditional athletes' parade was led by previous hosts Malaysia, and England brought up the rear before the Queen as 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. For the biogeographical region see Malesia Malaysia (məˈleɪʒə or /məˈleɪziə/ is a country that consists of thirteen states and England is a Country which is part of the United Kingdom. Its inhabitants account for more than 83% of the total UK population whilst its mainland Queen Elizabeth II is the second person to be recognised as Head of the Commonwealth (which currently has 53 members . . our focus on young people, for they are our future. "

Venues

The City of Manchester Stadium during the Games

The Games' main venue was the City of Manchester Stadium, which hosted all athletics events, the rugby sevens and the opening and closing ceremonies. The City of Manchester Stadium, which is also known as COMS or Eastlands, is a sports venue in Manchester, England. The stadium was a downscaled version of that proposed during Manchester's bid for the 2000 Summer Olympics. Five cities made presentations to the IOC Session in Monte Carlo to host the 2000 Summer Olympics. Construction started in January 2000,^[3] and was completed shortly before the Games. The cost was approximately £110 million, £77 million of which was provided by Sport England, with the remainder funded by Manchester City Council. Sport England is the brand name for the English Sports Council and is a Non-departmental public body under the Department for ^[4] For the Commonwealth Games the stadium featured a single lower tier running around three sides of the athletics track, and second tiers to the two sides, with an open-air temporary stand at one end, giving an overall capacity of 38,000. ^[5] The stadium formed the centrepiece of an area known as Sportcity. Other venues in Sportcity include the Manchester Velodrome, which hosted cycling, and the £3. Manchester Velodrome is an indoor cycle-racing track (or Velodrome) in Manchester, in the north west of England. 5m National Squash Centre, which was built specifically for the Games. ^[6]

Swimming and diving events took place at Manchester Aquatics Centre, another purpose-built venue, and the only one in the United Kingdom with two 50m pools. The Manchester Aquatics Centre is a public Aquatics sports facility south of the center of Manchester, England, north of the main buildings of University ^[7]

New records or other notable events

• Australian, Ian Thorpe set a world record in the 400 metre freestyle swimming. Ian James Thorpe OAM (born 13 October 1982 in Sydney, New South Wales) also known as the Thorpedo or Thorpey Swimming is the movement by humans or animals through Water, usually without artificial assistance

• English track athlete Paula Radcliffe won her first major gold medal in the 5,000 metres, to record a time of 14:31. England is a Country which is part of the United Kingdom. Its inhabitants account for more than 83% of the total UK population whilst its mainland Paula Jane Radcliffe MBE (born on 17 December, 1973 in Davenham, Cheshire, England) is a British 42, over 20 seconds ahead of silver medallist Edith Masai of Kenya and 1 minute 21 seconds faster than the inaugural running of the event four years earlier. Edith Chewangel Masai (born April 4, 1967) is a Kenyan track athlete. The Republic of Kenya is a country in East Africa. It is bordered by Ethiopia to the north Somalia to the northeast Tanzania to the south

• In the final of the 100 m for men (athletics), the two English favourites (Dwain Chambers & Mark Lewis-Francis) both pulled up with injuries. England is a Country which is part of the United Kingdom. Its inhabitants account for more than 83% of the total UK population whilst its mainland Dwain Anthony Chambers (born 5 April 1978 is an English sprinter of Afro-Caribbean descent Mark Lewis-Francis (born September 4, 1982 in Darlaston, Walsall) is an British sprinter of The race was won by Kim Collins of Saint Kitts and Nevis, winning the country's first Commonwealth title. Kim Collins (born April 5, 1976) is a sprinter from Saint Kitts and Nevis. The Federation of Saint Kitts and Nevis (also known as the Federation of Saint Christopher and Nevis) located in the Leeward Islands, is a federal two-island

• Simon Whitfield of Canada, the 2000 Olympic champion, won gold in the triathlon. Simon St Quentin Whitfield (born May 16 1975 is an Olympic Triathlon champion from Canada Country to "Dominion of Canada" or "Canadian Federation" or anything else please read the Talk Page A triathlon is an endurance sports event consisting of Swimming, cycling and Running over various distances

• On the last day of track competition, England won gold in both the men's 4x100 and 4x400 relays by tiny margins, recording the same time (38. 62) as the Jamaican quartet in sprint relay and holding off a fast finishing Welsh team by 1/100th of a second in the longer race, with a winning time of 3:00. Jamaica (ˈdʒəˈmeɪkə} is an Island nation of the Greater Antilles, in length and as much as in width situated in the Caribbean Sea. 40.

• The women's 4x400 relay was won by Australia after the favoured Jamaican team dropped the baton.

• In winning the triple jump England's Jonathan Edwards simultaneously held the World, Olympic, European and Commonwealth championships and the World record. Jonathan David Edwards, CBE, (born May 10, 1966 in London) is a former British Triple jumper and widely regarded He would lose the European title a week later in Munich.

• Another world record was set in the 4000 metre team pursuit at the track cycling by the Australian team. Track cycling is a Bicycle racing Sport usually held on specially-built banked tracks or Velodromes (but many events are held at older velodromes where the Scot Chris Hoy took the individual time trial and 19-year old Nicole Cooke of Wales won the women's cycling road race. Scotland ( Gaelic: Alba) is a Country in northwest Europethat occupies the northern third of the island of Great Britain. Christopher "Chris" Hoy MBE (born 23 March 1976 in Edinburgh) is a track cyclist representing Great Britain and Scotland An individual time trial (ITT is a road bicycle race in which cyclists race alone against the clock (in French contre la montre - literally "against Nicole Denise Cooke (born 13 April 1983) is a Welsh Road bicycle racer, world road race champion and Olympic Gold medallist

• South African swimmer Natalie du Toit created history. The Republic of South Africa (also known by other official names) is a country located at the southern tip of the continent of Africa Life Du Toit was born in Cape Town and has been competing internationally in swimming since the age of 14 As well as winning her events in the newly-included disabled swimming event, the 18-year-old, missing the lower section of her left leg, made the final of the 800 metre able-bodied freestyle event in one of a small number of disabled sporting events integrated into the games.

• In gymnastics England's Beth Tweddle and Kanukai Jackson took gold in the asymmetric bars and all around events respectively. Herodotos Giorgallas also won the first gymnastics gold ever for Cyprus when tying with Scotland's Steve Frew. Herodotos Giorgallas (born December 14, 1977) is a Gymnast from Cyprus who took gold at the 2002 Commonwealth Games in Manchester Cyprus (Κύπρος transliterated: Kýpros,; Kıbrıs officially the Republic of Cyprus (Κυπριακή Δημοκρατία Kypriakī́ Dīmokratía Scotland ( Gaelic: Alba) is a Country in northwest Europethat occupies the northern third of the island of Great Britain. Steve Frew (born 6 February 1973, Falkirk) is a Scottish Gymnast. The rhythmic gymnastics event was held in Slough a few months prior to the Games proper. Rhythmic gymnastics is a sport in which single competitors or pairs trios or even more (generally five manipulate one or two apparatus rope, hoop, ball Slough ( ˈslaʊ is a Borough and Unitary authority within the ceremonial county of Berkshire, England.

Medal table by country

Rank	Nation	Gold	Silver	Bronze	Total
1	Australia	82	62	63	207
2	England	54	52	60	166
3	Canada	31	41	46	118
4	India	30	22	17	69
5	New Zealand	11	13	21	45
6	South Africa	9	20	17	46
7	Cameroon	9	1	2	12
8	Malaysia	7	9	18	34
9	Wales	6	13	12	31
10	Scotland	6	8	16	30
11	Nigeria	5	3	11	19
12	Kenya	4	8	4	16
13	Jamaica	4	6	7	17
14	Singapore	4	2	7	13
15	Bahamas	4	0	4	8
16	Nauru	2	5	8	15
17	Northern Ireland	2	2	1	5
18	Cyprus	2	1	1	4
19	Pakistan	1	3	4	8
20	Fiji	1	1	1	3
	Zambia	1	1	1	3
22	Zimbabwe	1	1	0	2
23	Namibia	1	0	4	5
24	Tanzania	1	0	1	2
25	Bangladesh	1	0	0	1
	Guyana	1	0	0	1
	Mozambique	1	0	0	1
	Saint Kitts and Nevis	1	0	0	1
29	Botswana	0	2	1	3
30	Uganda	0	2	0	2
31	Samoa	0	1	2	3
32	Trinidad and Tobago	0	1	0	1
33	Barbados	0	0	1	1
	Cayman Islands	0	0	1	1
	Ghana	0	0	1	1
	Lesotho	0	0	1	1
	Malta	0	0	1	1
	Mauritius	0	0	1	1
	Saint Lucia	0	0	1	1
Total		282	280	336	898

Cultureshock and Festival Live

Further information: Cultureshock at the 2002 Commonwealth Games

Manchester Mela 2002

Cultureshock was the Commonwealth Games Cultural Programme which ran alongside the Games themselves. Australia at the 2002 Commonwealth Games was represented by Australia Commonwealth Games Association (ACGA and abbreviated AUS England at the 2002 Commonwealth Games was represented by the Commonwealth Games Council for England (CGCE India participated in the 2002 Commonwealth Games in Manchester Wales at the 2002 Commonwealth Games was represented by the Commonwealth Games Council for Wales (CGCE Scotland sent a team of 207 athletes and 85 officials to the 2002 Commonwealth Games in Manchester, England. Bahamas at the 2002 Commonwealth Games was represented by Bahamas Olympic Association (BOA and abbreviated xx Nauru was represented at the 2002 Commonwealth Games in Manchester by a team consisiting solely of weight-lifters Cultureshock was the 2002 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. Bolton ( is a large town in Greater Manchester, in the North West region of England. The Zulu ( IsiZulu: amaZulu) are the largest South African ethnic group of an estimated 10-11 million people who live mainly in the province of KwaZulu-Natal The Lowry is a combined theatre and gallery complex situated in Salford Quays, in Greater Manchester, England. 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 Whitworth Art Gallery is an art gallery in Manchester, England, containing about 31000 items in its collection Monsoon Wedding is a 2001 Film directed by Mira Nair and written by Sabrina Dhawan, which depicts various romantic entanglements Clwyd Theatr Cymru (klʊɨd θɛːatr ˈkɨːmˌrɨ̞ known until 1998 as Theatr Clwyd, is a regional arts centre located 1 mile (2 km from Mold Flintshire 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. Mela is a Sanskrit word meaning 'gathering' or 'to meet' It is used in the Indian subcontinent for all sizes of gathering and can be religious commercial cultural

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. It also coincided with the BBC's 2002 Festival Live series of open air concerts and celebrations around the country, held to celebrate the Queen's Golden Jubilee. A Golden Jubilee is a celebration held to mark a 50th anniversary of a monarch's reign

Closing ceremony

The Queen ended 11 days of competition at a 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.

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. Melbourne ( is the second most populous city in Australia, with a Metropolitan area population of approximately 3 The ceremony, attended by Prime Minister Tony Blair and several other dignitaries, took place in pouring rain and like the opening ceremony, mixed "pomp with pop". This article is about the government position For other uses see Prime Minister (disambiguation. Anthony Charles Lynton "Tony" Blair (born 6 May 1953 is a British Politician who was Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 2 May 1997 to

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. Around 40,000 balloons were released into the rainy Manchester sky as the ceremony concluded with a spectacular fireworks display.

Closing ceremony highlights included:

• Children covering themselves with red, blue and white paint to portray a giant British flag before unveiling a giant portrait of the Queen as a Golden Jubilee gift.

• The athletes bringing their national flags into the stadium

• South African swimmer Natalie du Toit being honoured as the outstanding athlete of the Games. Life Du Toit was born in Cape Town and has been competing internationally in swimming since the age of 14

• The symbolic handover of the Commonwealth Games Ceremonial Flag to Melbourne, host city for the 2006 Games. Melbourne ( is the second most populous city in Australia, with a Metropolitan area population of approximately 3

• A spectacular presentation with over 1,700 lanterns, which ended with the message 'Seek Peace' lit up in vast letters on the floor of the arena.

• Coronation Street stars Steve Arnold and Tracy Shaw (who played characters Ashley and Maxine Peacock) arriving in one of 40 Morris Minors which became the centre of a song-and-dance showpiece. Coronation Street (commonly known as 'Corrie' is an award-winning Soap opera created by Tony Warren The revolutionary Morris Minor was launched at the Earls Court Motor Show on 20 September, 1948.

• Hip-hop DJ Grandmaster Flash encouraging the massed ranks to "make some noise" as athletes and volunteers poured into the arena to music from the likes of Will Young, Dave Stewart, Heather Small, Jimmy Cliff and Toploader. Joseph Saddler (born January 1, 1958 in Bridgetown Barbados) better known as Grandmaster Flash, is an American Hip hop musician William Robert Young (born 20 January 1979. Young's second album Friday's Child, was released in December 2003 David Allan Stewart, often known as Dave Stewart (born September 9, 1952 in Sunderland) is an English Musician and Heather Small (born 20 January 1965 is an English soul singer best known for being the lead singer in the Manchester based band M People and Jimmy Cliff OM (born James Chambers, 1 April 1948, Somerton District St Toploader were an English Alternative rock band from Eastbourne, formed in 1997

• Australian singer Vanessa Amorosi sang her signature tune, Shine and a song about the city of Melbourne, "I’ll always be a Melbourne girl" just as it began to pour with rain. Vanessa Joy Amorosi (born 8 August 1981) is an Australian Singer and recording artist

Legacy and impact on host nation

The 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.

In terms of infrastructure, the Games were the catalyst for the widespread 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 was created, known as SportCity. Legacy sporting facilities include the Northern Regional Tennis Centre, the National Squash Centre, the City of Manchester Stadium for football, the Manchester Velodrome and facilities for athletics, as well as shops, supermarkets and new housing. The National Squash Centre is part of the Sportcity complex in Eastlands, Manchester, England which was constructed for the 2002 Commonwealth The City of Manchester Stadium, which is also known as COMS or Eastlands, is a sports venue in Manchester, England. Manchester Velodrome is an indoor cycle-racing track (or Velodrome) in Manchester, in the north west of England. Legacy facilities for aquatics, the Manchester Aquatics Centre, and comprehensive upgrades of Belle Vue and Moss Side leisure centres serve their local communities. The Manchester Aquatics Centre is a public Aquatics sports facility south of the center of Manchester, England, north of the main buildings of University Belle Vue is a district of Manchester (post code M12 England between Longsight and Gorton. Moss Side is a residential suburb district and electoral ward of Manchester in North West England situated two miles

Olympic president Jacques Rogge said the Games had gone a long way to restoring Britain's credibility in terms of hosting big sporting events. ^[8] It has since been said that the success of the games was a major factor in reassuring the UK's sporting authorities and the government that the country could successfully stage major successful international sporting events and that, without them, London's successful bid for the 2012 Summer Olympics would not have come about. London ( ˈlʌndən is the capital and largest urban area in the United Kingdom. ^[9][10]

Public houses 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. Marketing Manchester the official tourist board for Manchester, England. ^[11]

It is estimated that by 2008 £600m has been invested in the region as a result of the Games and that about 20,000 jobs had been created. ^[12]

References

External links

• Website by The Commonwealth Games Federation 2002
• Website by Manchester LTD. 2002
• Commonwealth Games Legacy Manchester 2002
• General BBC site
• BBC Sports