MY GLASGOW 2014 JOURNEY - Part 5: The best Commonwealth Games ever

The sun has well and truly set on Glasgow 2014, but
the memories of the 20th Commonwealth Games will
remain for a long time to come for many people, including
myself.

This final part of my series of reflections on the 20th Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, Scotland's biggest city, is an overall conclusion of what has been the most fantastic sporting event to have ever taken place in the country.

Well I hope people reading my thoughts about Glasgow 2014 will appreciate the time that I have taken to put my thoughts on the record and put my feelings on the record. And I want to thank everybody for reading my blog posts and I hope that people reading them, especially who might have volunteered at the Commonwealth Games or who went to an event at the Commonwealth Games or who have any connection with anybody who might have got involved at the Commonwealth Games will appreciate the experiences and maybe relate to some of the things that I have said or shared as part of my blog entries.

I have to say that I am so incredibly proud of Glasgow and Scotland, because I think we have shown the whole world, let alone the Commonwealth, that Scotland is more than good enough to run an event as big as the Commonwealth Games. And I know a lot of people tend to downplay the Commonwealth Games because it is not the Olympics or because it is not as big as other sporting events like the World Cup. But it's still a very major, major event so it does require a lot of investment, time, effort and energy to make the event work successfully. And I have to say that all the stakeholders who got involved and who helped out with the running of the Commonwealth Games did an absolutely incredibly sterling job and did an absolutely amazing job and they should be given full respect for how well they've done.

I think the fact that the Scottish Government and Glasgow City Council (an 80/20 split I think) funded the Commonwealth Games solely was just an absolute testament to the fact that devolution has really enabled Scotland to actually take the initiative and bring an event as big as this to Glasgow and to Scotland and to invite the Commonwealth to come to Glasgow and to the other parts of Scotland which held events for the Commonwealth Games to actually enjoy the event.

I had such a brilliant time. I would go as far as saying that it was life changing, because for the first time in my own life, I got to see an event as major as this in my own country and that is just special, because it's one thing to watch an event as big as the Commonwealth Games or the Olympics or the World Cup in another country - and yes it's great, but there's just something special about having it in your own country and that is just marvellous and frankly very inspiring.

I think one of the legacies for me personally as far as the Commonwealth Games is concerned is the fact that I have now taken up lawn bowls as a sport so I'm already thinking ahead to the Gold Coast in 2018 and hoping to compete there at the 21st Commonwealth Games in Australia.

Now I know some people may accuse me of being delusional, but there is only one life that you live and you have to live it and it's worth seeing how good I can get at lawn bowls and if I'm good enough then I can make it into the Scottish team for the 2018 Commonwealth Games and that will be absolutely fantastic, but we'll see what happens. The main thing for me personally is the fact that I have taken up a new sport and the fact that I am enjoying it and I am playing it for fun initially and learning is absolutely superb and I think is already a legacy for me personally.

If Glasgow was not in the premiership of the world's best cities before the Commonwealth Games, it is in there now. It is up there with London, New York, Toronto, Melbourne and many, many more cities. It is just a brilliant city to go and visit, to go and run a business in, to go and get a job in and work in and even just spend time with your friends in and to go and see world class events.

And the fact Glasgow has been able to host the Commonwealth Games in such a positive and such a brilliant and excitable manner - Glasgow is truly world class! And now really there are many, many reasons for anybody to go and visit the city or host an event in the city or to even shop in the city or work in the city or run a business in the city - it's just world class!

And although it's not the capital of the United Kingdom or the capital of Scotland, so what? It's up there in the premiership of the world's best cities - it is world famous! And you know, it was always world famous before the Commonwealth Games and now it's reputation has been enhanced thanks to the success of Glasgow 2014.

This Commonwealth Games took place in my home country. I had an involvement in this Commonwealth Games. I played my part in this Commonwealth Games. I personally got to experience this Commonwealth Games. And that for me was just life changing. That was just so special.

I would say nearly everybody is saying that Glasgow 2014 was the best Commonwealth Games ever - Glasgow 2014 was just world class.

When we allowed Glasgow to flourish, Glasgow flourished.

When we were asked to bring it on, we brought it on.

And when we were asked to gie it laldy, we gave it laldy.