Why I Loved Watching The Commonwealth Games

Writers’ Club member Emily talks about attending the games and watching them on TV…

This year, Birmingham hosted the Commonwealth Games, with over 4000 athletes from 72 territories coming together in the name of sport. Say Birmingham and most people think of the infamous Brummie accent, an industrial city past its heyday, and possibly the iconic Selfridges building. As a Brummie myself, I know Birmingham is actually a vibrant, diverse, and exciting place to be, so I’m glad the Games gave us a chance to prove it! 

After five years of effort - and a fair amount of roadworks disrupting my bus ride to school - the Games were kicked off on 28 July with the opening ceremony. The ceremony celebrated Birmingham’s manufacturing prowess, with cars forming a Union Jack, and showcased its arts through a giant Shakespeare puppet and a performance from the Birmingham Royal Ballet. It also highlighted the wealth of different cultures that make up Birmingham, with a colour-coded dance-battle sequence, which was one of my favourite bits. However, the showstopper of the opening ceremony had to be the ten metre high mechanical bull that entered the stadium. Brought on in chains to symbolise the slave trade and the chainmakers, who were themselves enslaved during the industrial revolution, the Birmingham mascot was freed as the ceremony continued, representing hopes for a brighter, united future. The bull now stands in Centenary Square in the city centre, and I can say from experience it's even more impressive up close. Overall it was a dramatic opening ceremony that spoke to the city’s heritage as well as its future, and my dad, who was sitting on the sofa next to me, teared up a little! 

A few days later, my family hopped on a bus to the Coventry Arena to watch the Rugby Sevens. Not a huge rugby fan myself, I was a little sceptical at the outset of the day, but several enthusiastic high fives with volunteers wearing foam fingers on the way helped stoke my enthusiasm. There were people waving all kinds of flags as we found our seats, and though the stadium wasn’t full, the crowd definitely had a lot of energy. Both the men’s and women’s games were fast paced and tense, and there were several solid choruses of Sweet Caroline to get invested in, but my favourite moment of the day came in the match between New Zealand and Uganda. For me, when the whole stadium stood up and started chanting “Uganda! Uganda! Uganda!” regardless of what flags they were waving, or where they were from, it really summed up the spirit of the Games. It’s not about winning the most medals, it’s about coming together to play sport and enjoy it. 

I also went to check out celebrations in Birmingham city centre, and was glad to see the crowd of people in Victoria Square listening to the live music and cheering for the England gymnasts on the big screen. The square was looking its best, with Commonwealth Games banners on the art gallery and town hall, and a vibrantly painted mural on the ground. There were also loads of friendly volunteers walking round to take photos with, or offer directions, adding to the bubbly atmosphere. The Smithfield site where the beach volleyball and basketball were being held was less crowded, but the BBC Asian Network stage did a solid job of DJing and hyping up the visitors with music and free shirts. From there I could also see the warm-up courts for the basketball, and some of the shots the Canadian team were making were crazy. With the sun shining, the good vibes were infectious, and it was great to see other people enjoying themselves. 

Before I knew it, it was time to huddle around the TV once more for the closing ceremony. Team England put up a valiant effort, with 57 golds and a total 176 medals, but in the end it was Australia who won. The closing ceremony started with a fun Peaky Blinders inspired number, because nothing says celebrating the Birmingham community like a shady gang of criminals in a group dance! There were performances from Birmingham bands UB40 and Black Sabbath, and the whole stadium was bopping along to the Panjabi MC Bhangra number. After an address from Prince Edward about the success of Birmingham 2022, the Games were handed over to Australia who will be hosting them in Victoria in 2026. Overall, it was a fitting way to end eleven days of epic sporting action. 

Reflecting on the Games, I spoke to my friends, many of whom went to see events live. They said that as great as watching the athletes was, it was the atmosphere from the people that made the event. What can I say? Birmingham just has the best energy! And hopefully everyone who visited is also firmly on team Brum now they’ve seen all the city has to offer. The Games have been the perfect way to breathe new life into the heart of the city, and to showcase the vibrant place Birmingham can be. After the success of Birmingham 2022, I’m sure it’s only going to get better…