A very Victorian opening

Even if the world didn’t give two hoots about the Commonwealth Games, there would have been no doubt in the minds of any one of the hundreds of millions of television viewers from across the globe that these Games are being held in Melbourne.

The opening ceremony held at the famous MCG ushered in the 18th staging of the Commonwealth Games with Australia – and Melbourne in particular – written all over it.

From the flying tram to a projection of Melbourne’s city map to the 16 AFL captains carrying the baton down the Yarra to the beach ball being thrown around by the athletes like they were in Bay 13 during the closing stages of the ceremony, it was distinctly Melbourne.

There wasn’t a major “wow” moment, but instead a series of thought-provoking events that kept the crowd captivated.

The wires that hung above the MCG were used many times, whether it was hoisting a tram with wings over the Great Southern Stand, lifting a young boy into the heavens or having giant koalas trying to save him as he was clinging from a rope Arts Centre spire.

While the Queen made a extravagant entrance via her Rolls Royce and had Happy Birthday and God Save The Queen sung to her by a Kiwi opera singer, the biggest receptions were reserved for the Australian team led out last by walker Jane Saville and the inline skaters with jetpacks whizzing their way spectacularly around singer Delta Goodrem while she belted out a specially written tune.

A lot of the pre-Games focus may have been on security and logistics, but despite the helicopters whirling above, stringent security and public transport warnings, there were no hiccups and this reporter’s train into the city from the suburbs was relatively empty.

Tonight was a major success for Games organisers, and if the next 11 days can go as swimmingly, these will be the greatest Commonwealth Games in history.

Related Article:

Games open in Spectacular style (Wed Mar 15)

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