Delhi Commonwealth Games closing ceremony

closing ceremony of the Commonwealth Games 2010 at Jawaharlal Nehru stadium at New Delhi.It was full house again. 70,000 spectators applauded the performances and danced to the tunes of popular Bollywood numbers.

At the heart of every Commonwealth Games lies the Olympic ideal. The spirit of athletes competing for their own sake. The spirit of the amateur athlete. And the spirit of athletes being ambassadors of their nations, bringing the varied cultures of the Commonwealth nations into closer contact.

So when the Commonwealth Games Federation flag shifted hands from Delhi to Glasgow, the host city of the next Games in 2014, during the ritual segment of the closing ceremony here this evening, Organising Committee chairman Suresh Kalmadi wiped a stain of relief from his forehead.

At the end, sport was the winner. The crowds cheered the triumphs of athletes from all over. And they stood with pride each of the 38 times the national anthem — following each gold medal win — played out.

Commonwealth Games Medals Tally: India Finish Second

XIX Commonwealth Games 2010 Delhi

The Commonwealth Games is a multinational, multi-sport event. Held every four years, it involves the elite athletes of the Commonwealth of Nations. Attendance at the Commonwealth Games is typically around 5,000 athletes. The Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF) is the organisation that is responsible for the direction and control of the Commonwealth Games.

Gold rush continued for India on the fifth day of the Commonwealth Games as India shooter Vijay Kumar has given India its 17th gold medal.