On 28th July, I visited the site of the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games to mark two years to go until the Opening Ceremony.
It may seem like some way off, but I was able to take a look around the site at Smithfield, and even watch some basketball taking place on the courts. Despite sporting events across the globe being delayed due to Coronavirus, the next Commonwealth Games is set to take place in exactly two years’ time –and is looking to be a great celebration of our best athletes and sportsmen and a huge event for the West Midlands.
To mark the milestone in the countdown, the Smithfield area of central Birmingham was unveiled as the chosen location for two bespoke arenas to stage the 3x3 basketball, beach volleyball and wheelchair basketball events – the first time that wheelchair basketball has been featured at a Commonwealth Games. It’s a central area, a short walk away from the Bullring shopping centre and was previously the site of Birmingham’s Wholesale Markets. For the celebration of the two year mark, young basketballers from the City of Birmingham Basketball Club along with current and future stars of both sports were the first to try out the location on temporary courts.
It was great to visit the site last week and really get a feel for what we can expect in exactly two years’ time. It’s certainly a welcome milestone on what would have been the midst of Tokyo 2020 Olympic games. We’re making great progress towards these games, and the excitement is already palpable. I’m also delighted that these Games are bringing a diverse range of sports, which I’m sure will be entertaining for all those watching. These Games mark not only a huge event for the city of Birmingham, but an important mark in the recovery of the West Midlands after the pandemic and I know the benefits will be felt throughout the area. This is an exciting milestone and I know I’m not the only one looking forward to seeing the result in two years!
