Prior to the 2014 Commonwealth Games there was a great sense of opportunism. A once in a generation event for both athletes and the general public to showcase Scotland, with the eyes of the world watching.
Thousands applied to volunteer, with well over a million applying through the ballot for tickets. The public enthusiasm for the Glasgow Commonwealth Games was like nothing ever experienced before.
Marking the first time the competition had been held on Scottish soil in over 25 years, the patriotism that swept across the nation over the competition period and the uptake in interest that was experienced heled contribute towards one of the most successful Commonwealth Games to date.
The Games cost well over £530 million in total to host the games which featured just under 5,000 competitors from 71 different countries. Purpose built venues came in the shape of Tollcross Swimming Centre and The Chris Hoy Velodrome, in the hope that a successful competition would inspire the next generation of athletes.
That very idea came to fruition with Scotland achieving gits most successful performance ever at a Commonwealth Games, claiming 19 Gold medals and a grand total of 53 medals overall. Amongst those performances came fairy tale stories – whether it was twenty one year old Ross Murdoch storming to an unexpected god medal in the 200m breaststroke or 13 year old Shetlander Erraid Davies winning bronze.
These impressive performances and success stories helped arouse national pride throughout the country and grabbed the imagination of millions watching. But has there been signs of this legacy taking shape?
That was exactly the same question that was asked when Scotland first hosted the event in 1970. Similar to last year’s Commonwealth Games, a lot of money was invested in the hope that the competition would inspire the next generation of sporting superstars. The competition was an overall success, with Scottish athletes such as Liz McColgan and Lachie Stewart triumphed in front of hordes of Scottish fans at Edinburgh’s Meadowbank stadium.
Those athletes became heroes to younger generations, and created something for the public to aspire to. With Scotland achieving its most successful performance at the Glasgow 2104 games, and now possessing its most impressive sporting infrastructure ever, it will surely only encourage kids of all ages to strive to become the best at what they do.
The Sporting Spotlight 