Farewell from a Weegie

Farewell from a Weegie:

The world is getting smaller is often a phrase I hear from the older generation. They encourage us to go and see as much of the world as we can while we're still young - because when else do you have the freedom to do so? The world is getting smaller in that almost anyone can go anywhere.

This is never truer than when a major event brings the world, or even just the commonwealth together. You know where I'm going with this now.

Glasgow was catapulted onto the world stage for the recent XX Commonwealth Games. Glasgow 2014 was bringing up the rear of London 2012 and boy did we have a lot to prove. No, we would never be the Olympics of '12, but those who wished to compare us were those who wished us to fail.

We took on the challenge, we worked hard and we pulled it off. Never have I been more proud to be a Glaswegian than in the last month. I was privileged enough to be a Clydesider and I want to thank my fellow volunteers.

Without you, the games would not have been the success they were. You came from all over the world to become our friends, our leaders and our colleagues for a short amount of time. Glasgow wants to thank you for the time and family you sacrificed and the journeys you had to make. I can say with certainty that the people I met and worked with for 9 days have become fast friends & were a massive part of my experience.

I want to thank the people of Glasgow and the spectators of the games. Hampden Park, already famous for it's "Hampden Roar" opened it's doors and said "yeah, come on in, change us, we're ready for the top athletes to compete here." And despite the renovations and the loss of seats, visitors would be mistaken for thinking it was still at capacity. The electricity, the emotion and the deafening support will live in memories for years to come. We raised the roof no matter who was in front of us.

Athletes, we didn't care where you were from. Whether you were Scottish, Irish, Kenyan, Jamaican or even English (you were surprised weren't you?) We screamed until our throats were hoarse and applauded til our hands were numb. We wanted you to succeed. We wanted to see you win and for two weeks, no one cared about race or religion. Hampden, and indeed every other venue, I'm so proud of you.

I was lucky enough to be in the Hydro for the duration of the gymnastics. I was part of a wonderful team of people and together we saw England dominate, the Welsh come through for surprise wins and heard 12,000 voices singing Flower of Scotland on two separate occasions. Never has my heart been fuller, nor my emotions so frayed, but I got to experience it with new friends (from Canada, England and all over Scotland) and I loved every second.

So, while Glasgow winds down, and the Commonwealth says it's thanks to the city; this one Weegie wants to say thanks to you.

I love this dear green place, and now, maybe people will understand I don't say this from a place of bias. Why? Because we showed that for two weeks we were the best city in the world and we put on the best Commonwealth Games in living memory.

Thank you fellow Clydesiders, without you, none of it would have been possible. We were asked to "bring it on" and we delivered. Our dreams and ambitions were met and piped to fruition by the Royal Scot Guard pipers. Throw in a bit of tartan, some giant tea cakes and the maker of Irn Bru as a sponsor and you have the biggest, best and most Glaswegian Commonwealth Games the world has seen.

It's curtain down on my Bonnie city for now, but we will meet again my friends. Whether it be in Rio, Toronto, Glasgow for the World Championships 2015 or even the beautiful Gold Coast in 2018.

It's back to real life again, and I genuinely wish you all the very best with whatever you go on to do. We are all on much of a "comedown" after such a long build up, but together we will remember and reminsce. The XX Commonwealth Games, 2014 and Glasgow will be much talked about for the foreseeable future.

Cheers everyone, you will be missed.

Sarah x