Games open in dry style

[OMEN]

THE XVIII Commonwealth Games were officially opened last night in a flash of colour at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, but a somewhat less dazzling display of stars.
Many of Australia's best athletes stayed away from the march, most notably the swimming team, which starts its hectic competition program today.

Libby Lenton will begin her quest for a record seven gold medals, while the host nation's world and Olympic cyclists will also get going on the track inside Vodafone Arena.

A few stars were in attendance, including the best female basketball player on the planet, Lauren Jackson.

Jackson, who with the rest of the team is competing in basketball's first Commonwealth Games, ripped off her Australia team tie and placed it around her head bandana style while waving to the crowd.

The Opals also begin competing tomorrow with a pool match against India. Australia is a raging favourite for the gold, and without the US and Brazil here to thwart its chances, there will be few excuses for it not to.
Organisers promised the best ceremony of all, and fought tooth and nail to keep details a secret in the lead up to last night's extravaganza.
But the cynics will no doubt say they needn't have bothered, with a flying tram and flying human beings hardly the stuff of fantasy at these sort of events anymore.

Indeed, Nikki Webster could argue "that's so 2000".

While The Cat Empire's musical accompaniment for the athletes' parade was admirable for its energy and longevity - effectively a non-stop medley that last nearly two hours - and Delta Goodrem's sweet tones were crystal clear, something was missing here - the wow factor.

The Queen's sedate entrance summed up the evening. She was driven lazily around the MCG in her customary black Bentley before stepping out to be greeted by Prime Minister John Howard and Victorian Premier Steve Bracks.

She accepted the Queen's Baton from John Landy and remembered in front of the crowd the day she had put it into the hands of Cathy Freeman and supermodel Elle MacPherson in London, 365 days ago.

Freeman handled the baton once again last night as part of a relay inside the MCG that ended with Landy, afforded the honour of lodging the baton in the lectern from where the Queen would speak.

Landy, a legendary Olympian and now governor of host state Victoria, beamed widely as he fulfilled his duty before standing proudly by as the Queen announced: "It gives me great pleasure to declare these Games open."

Marjorie Jackson-Nelson and Ron Clarke completed the quartet of runners inside the stadium, Clarke re-igniting memories of the 1956 Olympics, when he was the final torch bearer at the very same venue.

It seems odd looking back that organisers chose not to stray from track and field for its final runners.

There was no place for the swimmers that have between them won more than a third of Australia's gold medals at past Commonwealth Games - no Keiran Perkins, no Susie O'Neill, not even a coughing, spluttering Ian Thorpe - and how dearly they and the public had wanted to see him here.

It was as if we were being told: "There are stars outside the pool." Time will tell.

Australia's athletes had been led in by another track and field competitor; race walker Jane Saville, who received no red card for this particular stroll.

All she got here was a deafening roar from the throng of 80,000 inside what is for the next 11 days the Commonwealth Games stadium.

"What can I say? It was just one of the most exciting moments of my sporting career," she said.

"A home Games. You couldn't ask for anything better. I'm so proud to be leading the team. It is hard to describe. Everyone is on cloud nine. I think we have all got sore cheeks from smiling."

Melbourne's penchant for Australian rules football also wasn't forgotten.

The Baton had travelled down the Yarra River before arriving at the stadium through the hands of all 16 AFL club captains, starting with the man that lifted last year's premiership; Sydney Swans skipper Barry Hall.

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[LionDen]

Can't blame the swimmers for not going, they rarely do since their competition begins the next day ... need to sleep and rest. Thanx for the news OMEN.