Preparation for the Gold Coast’s 2018 Commonwealth Games is progressing well as host organisers also received overwhelming supporter from chefs de mission delegates from 65 commonwealth countries set to compete in the games.
NOCSI vice president Nihal Seneviratne who attended the chef de mission workshop in Gold Coast in preparation for the games next year confirmed this to Star Sports, Tuesday.
“Preparation for the Gold Coast’s 2018 Commonwealth Games is well underway and the Games Organisers are being praised for showing us the venues that will be used for the games as well as for outlining their colorful plans for the event,” he said.
Reports from Gold Coast bulletin said the organising committee GOLDOC have welcomed 130 team chefs de mission and delegates from the 69 Commonwealth nations and territories to the city on Sunday night.
“They have arrived for a week of venue familiarisation and workshops ahead of the Games in April, 2018, now 176 days away,’’ according to the report.
“Numerous chefs de mission told the bulletin yesterday they were impressed by the readiness ahead of schedule of the stadiums and several Games veterans described the Athletes Village at Parklands as the best facility they have seen.
“In another important step, the Commonwealth Games Federation executive board has given a thumbs up to the opening and closing ceremony concepts showcased to them in Sri Lanka last week.
GOLDOC CEO Mark Peters and chairman Peter Beattie delivered the concepts in person.
Mr Peters said the executive board members applauded at the end of the presentation.
“It’s a big milestone.”
The Gold Coast Bulletin further reported New Zealand chef de mission Rob Waddell, who held the role for the 2016 Olympics in Rio and the Glasgow Commonwealth Games in 2014, said he’d already toured the Athletes Village and it was a “high standard”.
“With the Commonwealth Games, it is really diversifying the perception of the Gold Coast,” Mr Waddell said.
Jamaica’s chef de mission Dalton Myers said he was also a fan of the Athletes Village colour scheme: “It’s cool, I mean, you can’t miss it.
“Things seem really on schedule. We are impressed with the work done so far,” the Bulletin quoted Myers.
By CROFTON UTUKANA
