Commonwealth Games

Spectacular ceremony draws curtain on 2010 Commonwealth Games

A dazzling laser show and a musical extravaganza marked the grand finale of the Commonwealth Games, the biggest sporting event hosted by India which crowned itself with sporting glory by winning an unprecedented 101 medals.

Skies over the national capital lit with multi-colour laser beams and fireworks as part of 160-minute closing ceremony at the Jawaharlal Nehru stadium filled to capacity of 60,000 cheering sports lovers including vice-president Mohammad Hamid Ansari, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Congress President Sonia Gandhi as well as other sundry VIPs.

The ceremony though was not even close to the spectacle witnessed at the opening ceremony.

As at the grand opening ceremony 12 days ago, all the controversies that had dogged the Games — corruption, filth, snakes, mismanagement — were momentarily forgotten because some 5000 athletes from 71 countries had sportingly competed for 826 medals of which India won 101, including 38 gold, its highest ever, to be the second in the tally behind Australia with a total of 177.

Prince Edward, patron of the Commonwealth Games Federation, formally declared the 19th edition closed amid thunderous cheers from the audience.

Reading out the closure statement, the Prince said, “In the name of the Commonwealth Games Federation, I proclaim the XIX Commonwealth Games Delhi 2010 closed.

“In accordance with tradition I call upon the sportsmen and sportswomen of the Commonwealth to assemble in four years time in Glasgow, Scotland, there to celebrate the XX Commonwealth Games.”