Mary Kom was India’s flagbearer during the closing ceremony of Commonwealth Games 2018 on the Gold Coast, Australia.(Source: PTI)
Commonwealth Games 2018 officially drew to a close when the flame was put away and the baton was passed over to Birmingham, England. The Commonwealth Games Federation flag was passed on to Birmingham officials after 11 days of successful games and events in Gold Coast, Australia. The 2022 Games will be held in Birmingham after the city came in on short notice to replace Durban, South Africa, which had lost the hosting rights in 2017 after failing to deliver on key promises in its bid. At the closing ceremony, Mary Kom led the Indian contingent which had over the past two weeks won 66 medals – for third best showing at a Commonwealth Games.
Mary Kom competed in her maiden Commonwealth Games in Gold Coast and added the only medal remaining to her kitty by winning the gold medal in 45-48kg boxing. She beat Northern Ireland’s Kristina O’Hara in the light flyweight final on Saturday. “This is the first time I will be India’s flag-bearer in an event like this. I don’t know if I deserve it but I am certainly very proud of it,” Mary Kom had said in response to being handed with the honour of being named as the flag bearer.
The closing ceremony also saw a surprise when former Jamaican athlete and multiple Olympic and Commonwealth Games champion, Usian Bolt was introduced. He stood alongside the Games mascot Borobi before proceeding to scratch the decks.
Earlier, India had taken its tally at the Commonwealth Games to 66 medals with 26 gold medals, 20 silver and 20 bronze. This is an improvement on India’s medal count four years back in Glasgow. However, it fails to eclipse India’s best of 101 medals (in 2010 in New Delhi) and 69 medals (in 2002 in Manchester). The 66 medal count ensured India finish third in the medal tally – behind Australia and England.
Most of India’s medals in Gold Coast came in shooting (16) followed by wrestling (12) while boxing and weightlifting (nine) contributed the joint-third most.