Troubled Commonwealth Games draw to a close

(GETTY IMAGES)

Now it is Glasgow's turn to play host to the Commonwealth after Delhi's much-derided Games ended in a lavish display of the best of India.

After 11 days of competition, the award of 272 gold medals and widespread acclaim from the athletes - the most important judges of any sporting event - the second Commonwealth Games to be held in Asia came to a close with a wonderful spectacle of light, music and dance.

The Games opened on October 3 under uncertainty but will likely be remembered as a success.

However, the Delhi 2010 organising committee were still met with derision at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium.

Like on October 3, Suresh Kalmadi, the Delhi 2010 chairman, was booed as he addressed the full to capacity 60,000-seat stadium, with his competence to govern the Games questioned on numerous occasions in the build-up and during the event itself.

The boos were even louder and more vociferous than before.

Nevertheless Kalmadi proclaimed Delhi 2010 "the most enjoyable Games ever".

It has been disputed that Glasgow have a job to do to restore the Commonwealth Games' image, but their task has now begun.

There were tartan-clad pipers and drums even before Glasgow inherited the Commonwealth flag as India neatly reminded us of its past and the Games' future.

The future is on the banks of the River Clyde in Scotland's largest city.

After Edinburgh played host to the Games in 1970 and 1986, Glasgow will now pick up the baton from Delhi and become the second Scottish city to host the Commonwealth.

Glasgow invited the 71 Commonwealth associations to the XX Commonwealth Games in 2014 with a display mixing traditional Scottish culture, warmth and humour.

A lone piper began and was raised aloft following a Highland charge by 352 performers.

Then 1.8-kilometres of colourful tartan was used to create first a labyrinth and a maze.

Three tartans were specially unveiled in the 'Mad for Plaid' section of the eight-minute performance before the Saltire was formed from the material.

The waters of the Clyde then flowed under an inflatable Clyde Arc Bridge before a blow-up replica of the Scottish Exhibition and Conference Centre - locally known as the Armadillo - was formed by eight sections.

The cast entered the Armadillo, which was over 30metres long, and it turned in the stadium before the performers reappeared.

A Highland fling was performed and the cast formed a celtic knot before departing.

As the performers left the arena, the Armadillo morphed into the Loch Ness monster.

Nessie swam out of the stadium, playfully raising her head and wagging her tail and inviting the Commonwealth to follow her to Glasgow.

Commonwealth Games Federation president Michael Fennell then presented the David Dixon Award to the most outstanding athlete at the Games, with Jamaica triple jump champion Trecia Smith the recipient.

Then the party began, with India's Bollywood stars taking centre stage as the cloud under which the Games began cleared.