A general view of the Squash court as Saurav Ghosal of Team India and Paul Coll of Team New Zealand compete in the Men's Singles Squash at University of Birmingham Hockey & Squash Centre for the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth GamesCategoriesAnnouncement

New government report credits Commonwealth Games 2022

New government report credits Commonwealth Games 2022

The Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) shared its report documenting the impact of the 2022 Commonwealth Games held in Birmingham.

The report shows that the Games contributed nearly £1.2 billion to the UK economy. Nearly half of that came in the West Midlands alone and created 22,380 full time equivalent years of employment.

 

Held between 28 July and 8 August 2022, Birmingham brought together 6,600 athletes and team officials from across 72 Commonwealth nations and territories.

 

The Games broke the record for ticket sales at a Commonwealth Games, with a global TV audience of 834.9m, over 215m digital views and 141m social media engagements.

 

It was the biggest multi-sport event in England since London 2012 and delivered the largest-ever fully integrated programme of para sport.

 

It was the first major multi-sport event in history to award more medals to women than men and Team England rose to the occasion and delivered their best-ever performance at the Games, winning 176 medals, 57 gold, 66 silver and 53 bronze to finish second in the medal table.

 

Launching the report last week at SportAccord World Sport and Business Summit, hosted at Birmingham’s International Convention Centre, the UK Sports Minister, Stuart Andrew said:

 

“With over 1.5 million tickets sold, the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games was a record-breaking event that is still having a positive impact on the region two years on.

 

“This report shows that hosting major sporting events in this country boosts growth, creates jobs and has a lasting social impact for communities and some of the world’s best athletes will once again descend on Birmingham for the European Athletics Championships in 2026.”

The full report can be accessed here.

 

Volunteer Becki sits on giant letters spelling #B2022CategoriesStudent News

Five Minutes With: Becki McWhinnie

FIVE MINUTES WITH: BECKI MCWHINNIE

We caught up with alumnae, staff member and Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games volunteer Becki McWhinnie, to find out what it was like to be behind the scenes of the city’s biggest sporting event ever!

Q: What’s your current role at the University? 

 

A: Club Development Manager for UoB Sport & Fitness – this means I manage the student sport side of things, including our 56 sports clubs!

Q: Why did you choose to volunteer for the Games? 

 

A: To get involved with a unique experience on my doorstep. I didn’t want to have the fear of missing out and wanted to be as involved as possible! I played cricket when I was at the University and it is still my favourite sport, so to have the chance to be a part of that at an international level was too good to miss – especially as I used to play at Edgbaston where the event would be! 

Q: What role did you have? What were you expected to do? 

 

A: I was a Field of Play Team Member at Edgbaston, supporting the grounds staff in making sure the field was up to scratch for the players. This included things like laying out the (very heavy) boundary rope, checking access to the pitch and putting the covers on when it rained.

Q: Where were you based? 

 

A: Mainly at Edgbaston Cricket Ground. It was great because you got to know a few of the other regular volunteers, but also met new team members every day, so it was very varied. 

Q: Did you get to see any of the Games as a spectator? 

A: Yes! I was lucky enough to get tickets for hockey, diving and netball. Hockey was my favourite experience by far, watching players and spectators come from all over the world and marvel at the beauty of campus. I was very proud to be a part of it both from the volunteer side and from the alumni / staff side! 

Q: How was the experience? What are your favourite memories? 

 

 

A: Amazing. Being on pitch side during the India versus Pakistan game was unbelievable. Two teams with the best supporters created the most amazing atmosphere. 

Q: Do you have any unusual/amusing stories of things that occurred?  


A: I did sustain a very impressive bruise from the boundary rope at one point – it is so heavy that you need a number of people to move it in sync, so if someone is out of time and you lose your hold it gives you a bit of a bump! 

Q: How did it feel to know your place of work was hosting the Games, and many of your colleagues were involved? 

 

 

A: It made it feel so much like we were a part of it, and felt like sharing something special with everyone. Seeing so many people you recognised when walking around campus as a volunteer or staff make it feel like such a great community. 

Lachlan Moorhead with his CWG gold medalCategoriesStudent News

Five Minutes With: Lachlan Moorhead

FIVE MINUTES WITH: LACHLAN MOORHEAD

Student, Judoka, and now Commonwealth Games gold medallist – we spoke to UoB Business student Lachlan Moorhead about his incredible experience at the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games. Sport Scholar Lachlan fought off some tough competition to win University of Birmingham’s first ever Commonwealth gold medal for Team England.

Q: Looking back to the summer, has the medal win sunk in yet? 

 

A: I think my title has sunk in. It’s hard to say, it’s not like us judo fighters get time to ‘smell the roses’ – as soon as we were finished with the Commonwealth Games we were straight into qualification for the Paris Olympics. Better never stops!…


Q: Tell us about your expectations and hopes going into the Games. How had your training and warm-up competitions gone? Did you have any injuries to deal with? 

 

A: Going into the Commonwealth Games I was hoping to win. I wasn’t the favourite, but I drew confidence from my training, and how I’ve faired against the top athletes in the Commonwealth in training. My warm-up completions were very tough events in Europe and Asia, so it’s safe to say I was ready for a challenge. Regarding did I have any injuries… I’m a judo player, so I probably had hundreds! I think I fought with so much tape on my right hand it was completely immobilised!

Q: What are your memories of the judo competition? Were you nervous? Any tense moments during the competition? 

 

A: My memories of the competition are some of the most intense, but best memories I have. I was nervous throughout the whole build up, and the nerves on the day were (almost) unbearable. But this pressure was a privilege, and I knew I would perform the best under the pressure. The most stressful moment of the day was the first round, where I was 5 minutes into golden score (extra time) before emerging victorious. I was a fine margin from going home empty handed. 

Q: How have you balanced your University work with your training and sporting career?

 

A: I have managed to balance my university studies and sporting career with great difficulty and commitment. I work long days, training throughout the morning and afternoon and studying when I am home. Perusing both endeavours has given me a resilience I can’t imagine getting from anywhere else. That being said, without the support of UoB Sport Scholarships and the well-being department in the business school, I would not have been able to achieve what I have. Their interest, understanding, and flexibility is the main reason I am able to continue my studies whilst perusing my sporting dreams. For that I am very grateful. 

Q: What’s next for you?

 

A: What’s next for me is to work towards the Paris Olympics. I’ve beaten the fighter in the world top 10 and I’ve broken the top 25 myself. My goal is to win a medal at the Paris Olympics. I’ve trained full-time since I was 18, and I believe if I continue on this trajectory of commitment and sacrifice to the sport, then the sky is the limit.