NASSAU, BAHAMAS- One of the multi sports events that The Bahamas takes part in each quadrennial, the Commonwealth Games, has released its schedule of activities for 2022.
In the last games in 2018 in the Gold Coast, Australia, a 31-member team from The Bahamas took part in seven sporting disciplines. The 2022 games are set for Birmingham, England.
With 11 days of swimming and diving, eight days of cricket, eight days of gymnastics and seven days of athletics (including the marathon), the summer of 2022 is set to be a spectacular one in Birmingham, featuring the games that will be a once in a lifetime opportunity, putting the city, the region and its people on the global stage.
A total of 10 days will feature para sport, with the games boasting the largest ever integrated para program, and there will be two full weekends of Commonwealth sporting competition.
Birmingham 2022, as it is branded, will now begin with a spectacular opening ceremony on Thursday, July 28, 2022. The sporting action will start on Friday, July 29.
The opening day features 14 different sporting disciplines in action. At present, organizers are confirming which sports will be held on each of the 11 days of competition and are urging fans to sign-up for ticket updates, as planning for the games accelerates.
The aquatics program, which is always a big attraction for The Bahamas, will start on opening day with the swimmers getting the action underway at the brand new Sandwell Aquatics Centre, which is currently under construction in Smethwick, an industrial town about four miles west of the Birmingham city centre in Birmingham.
The games, the largest sports event to be held in the United Kingdom (UK) since the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games, will feature 19 sports with eight para sports integrated into the program, creating the biggest para sports offering in Commonwealth Games history. Three additional sports for Birmingham 2022, beach volleyball, cricket T20 and para table tennis, were confirmed in August 2019. Following an open and transparent process, games partners selected the sports and their proposals were then approved by the Commonwealth Games Federation’s (CGF) executive board and subsequently the Commonwealth Games Associations across the globe.
The unveiling of the new schedule confirms that there will now be two full weekends of competition, a move which is hoped will allow more than one million
spectators to attend the games.
Britain’s Minister for Sport, Tourism and Heritage Nigel Huddleston said: “The unveiling of the daily schedule marks another important milestone as we look toward the games in 2022. It’s great to see that for the first time ever at a Commonwealth Games, there will be two full weekends of sport offering more opportunities for everyone to experience Birmingham 2022.”
Birmingham 2022’s Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Ian Reid said: “We’re extremely excited to be unveiling the daily schedule, as we know that this will make the games much more real for everyone, now that they can see exactly which sports will be taking place on each day. I’d like to thank all of the international and national governing bodies who have been working closely with us to ensure that we created an exciting schedule which also provides all competitors with the maximum period of recovery possible during what will be an action packed summer of sport in 2022.”
The main athletics program at the redeveloped Alexander Stadium in the Perry Barr area of the city, won’t begin until day five of the competition on August 2, therefore allowing additional recovery time for athletes who are also planning to compete at the World Athletics Championships in Eugene, Oregon, which takes place earlier in the summer.
The track and field action will take place across six days with the number of sessions yet to be finalized. The marathon will be held earlier in the program on July 30, with the location of the start and finish and the route expected to be confirmed in 2021.
The Commonwealth Games Federation’s CEO David Grevemberg said: “My message to Commonwealth Sport fans around the globe is simple – get excited! Now is the moment to visit the Birmingham 2022 website and signup for updates around tickets, volunteering and general opportunities to get involved in what will be one of the greatest sporting spectacles the country has ever seen. This innovative and exciting sports schedule highlights an exceptional partnership working from so many stakeholders to ensure the UK stages a fantastic, celebratory summer of sport in 2022. The level of collaboration with the likes of World Athletics and UEFA (Union of European Football Associations) has been unprecedented to ensure Birmingham 2022 retains a premium spot in an exciting period that will include the UEFA Women’s Euro in England and the World Athletics Championships in Oregon. For athletes and spectators, Birmingham 2022 will be a once in a lifetime opportunity to be part of something truly special for the city, the region, the country and the entire Commonwealth. I hope all of you out there embrace this opportunity to be part of a games for everyone.”
The closing ceremony for the games will be held on Monday, August 8, 2022 – the final day of competitive action. The full medal event program for the games, detailing exactly which events will feature in each sport, will be released soon. A more detailed version of the schedule, to include a session by session breakdown, will be unveiled in the coming months.
To find out more information, interested persons are asked to please visit the website www.birmingham2022.com where they can also sign-up to receive the latest updates about the games and hear about tickets and volunteer opportunities.
Birmingham 2022 is set to be the games for everyone, bringing people together from across Birmingham and the Commonwealth to provide a warm welcome to millions of visitors during the summer of 2022.
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