2012 Commonwealth Games Awards Dinner highlights
Meet Clyde - the friendly face of Glasgow 2014 It was the moment we had all been waiting for!
Michael Cavanagh & Denise Holmes with Christine Windmill and Alasdair MacLennan collecting the Lonsdale Trophy Maia Lumsden, Scottish Sports Aid Winner Hazel Irvine, Ronnie Sloan and James Clegg, Scottish Sports Aid Winner
CGF update In late September, CGS Chairman, Michael Cavanagh, Vice Chairman, Fiona McEwan and CEO Jon Doig travelled to Kampala, Uganda for the 2012 Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF) General Assembly. Top of the agenda was intense discussion around the Strategic Review of the CGF, its operations and future direction. The recommendations in the report, presented by consultants PMP, were generally accepted and will now be taken forward by the CGF Executive Board for further discussion and a decision in February 2013 regarding implementation over the next three years. The sport programme was once again under the spotlight with a number of key decisions taken affecting the 2014 Games including:
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In September the Glasgow 2014 Organising Committee finally unveiled the official Mascot for the Commonwealth Games after a UK-wide children’s design competition, which was won by 12-year-old Beth Gilmour from Cumbernauld. Clyde, is a patriotic and adventurous thistle who will be the friendly face of the Games. Beth’s design was chosen for its Scottish symbolism and Glaswegian charm and likeability. Her entry interpreted this much-loved symbol with a youthful energy – embodied by a cheeky facial expression – and strong, sporty thistle arms and legs.
“The Games being in Glasgow will offer an amazing opportunity to showcase the city and Scotland. It’s incredible to know that world-class athletes from across the Commonwealth will be coming to my home city in 2014 – being able to compete in front of a passionate home crowd at Tollcross will be something truly special.”
Meeting Clyde at the launch, Olympic and Commonwealth medallist in swimming, Michael Jamieson said: “Clyde is great fun and the perfect Mascot to spread the Glasgow 2014 message across Scotland and the Commonwealth. He’s a true Glaswegian and you can’t help but smile when you’re in his company – I’m sure everyone who meets Clyde will feel the same.
Clyde will be a significant personality in the run up to and during Games-time. He embarked on a national tour of Scotland straight after the launch and will play a major role in many landmark moments on the journey to the Games. He will also be cheering on Scottish athletes as they compete for places on Team Scotland over the next 18 months.
• Entry levels for swimming were confirmed at three per country and shooting entries at two per country. • Women’s Boxing events have been added to the Commonwealth Games progamme for the first time ever and follows the recent success of the debut of Women’s Boxing at London 2012. There will be medals awarded in the same three weights as in London: Fly Weight (48-51kg), Light Weight (5760kg) and Middle Weight (69-75kg). • The CGF Assembly also endorsed changes to the Lawn Bowls competition format, which will now include four medal events for both men and women. This change reflects more closely the formats of world championships conducted by World Bowls. Each county will be able to enter up to five men and five women who will each play in two out of the four events: singles, pairs, triples and fours. • The number of Parasport events were confirmed as 22, following the addition of two powerlifting events.
Also presented to delegates were progress reports from Glasgow 2014, Gold Coast 2018 and Samoa 2015 Youth Games.
All programme changes endorsed by the CGF will be accommodated within Glasgow 2014’s existing sports programme and maintains the forecasted quota of athletes expected to attend the Games.
Commenting Michael Cavanagh said: “There were many important decisions taken in Kampala which will have a beneficial effect, not only on Glasgow in 2014, but on the future of the Games movement. “It was particularly gratifying to note the positive reaction to plans for Glasgow 2014 and the general excitement about the Games on the back of the London Olympics. Our hosts in the Uganda CGA put on an outstanding conference and set the bar high for us, when Scotland hosts the next two General Assemblies in 2013 and 2014.”
New bowls format for 2014