Well in, George. Good chat.

Image source, PA Media

This speech is important, obviously. But the athletes have started chatting among themselves. They're here for a carry on, not the serious stuff.

Difficult to do a serious, earnest, nodding-along-thoughtfully face when you've got a felt traffic cone on your head, I guess.

Our big speakers from last Thursday are back delivering speeches.

The Chair of Glasgow 2026 Organising Company, George Black CBE, is up first.

The President of Commonwealth Sport, Dr Donald Rukare, is presenting the David Dixon Award, which is given to the outstanding athlete of the Commonwealth Games, based on their performance, fair play and overall contribution to their team’s participation at the Games

Oh, it appears to be happening outside The Hydro.

That would make sense.

A lot of traffic cones are looking round for this flag.

Right then, we're really saying cheerio now. This next part is the passing of the baton bit.

The Commonwealth Games Sporting Flag is being lowered.

However, I don't know where from...

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Elephant Sessions, the Glaswegian electro-trad band are on with local poet and musician Hamish Kiernan-Hutcheson who is delivering a spoken-word poem.

Rather ferociously, I must add.

He's detailing the 'urban' side of the city...

As Jackie rightly says, tonight is not only about about Glasgow saying cheerio to the Games, it's about passing the baton to Ahmedabad, who will host the next edition in four years time.

So, expect a cross of cultures, from Scotland to India.

Glasgow, never a city to blow your own trumpet but always a city that steps in at the last minute

And offer a welcome to the athletes of the many nations o’ the Commonwealth.

What is Glasgow if not a place of welcome to the citizens of the world?

We all hold the keys to Glasgow (in the city of the word, the bird that never flew)

We welcome the risk-taker, the refugee. We take to the streets for democracy. We meet our lovers under the Hielanman’s Umbrella and exchange a kiss. Ae fon kiss.

This one is for Youse. All of You

Jackie Kay.

Takes me back to my National 5 English days.

We're now hearing words written by former Scottish Makar - that's national poet, by the way - Jackie Kay.

It's a love letter to Glasgow. Fair few of those have been written these last 11 days.

I have heard Loaded many times, in many places. Live a number of times too.

Never quite like this...

Get Bobby Gillespie on the buzzer.

Image source, PA Media

Right, we're now getting what was described to me earlier as "a twist" on Loaded by Primal Scream.

We've got pipers, dancers in shellsuits (a nice tribute to late 80s/early 90s Glasgow) and the Glaswegian-Nigerian rapper Bemz.

Australia have dominated the medal table, winning 70 golds - 16 more than the combined total of England, hosts Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland put together - and 171 medals overall.

England finished second with 29 golds, ahead of Canada and India, while Scotland (13 golds) were fifth, Wales ninth (nine golds - four of them belonging to Emma Finucane) and Northern Ireland 12th (three golds).

In all, 45 nations or territories out of 74 won medals.

Australia won a staggering 37 gold medals and 76 in total in the swimming pool, with Meg Harris leading the way with six individual golds.

More highlights of the Games are shown on the big screen.

Going to shock you, Australia feature heavily...

Oh ya cannae beat a bit of You're the Voice by John Farnham.

His voice isn't here, though. Delta is joined by Cammy Barnes who has magically appeared from being in a pub on the screen a few moments ago.

Showbiz.

Image source, SNS

Image source, PA Media

Aussie Delta Goodrem is still giving it big licks out there.

She represents a kinship between Australia and Scotland, apparently.

A wee 'cheers for saving the Games, troops' would've been enough, I reckon...

There was a wee chill in this place earlier, not now.

My goodness it is packed to the rafters.

I wonder if the folks planning this were perhaps banking on a few patching it for the pub...

Gymnast Reuben Ward said earlier it was "an incredible honour" to be Scotland's flag bearer for this gig.

I have no doubts the gold-medal winner wasn't telling the truth, but now looking at him hauding that thing on the other side of the stage from his pals who are bouncing about the place... I think he's got the raw end of the deal here.

Image source, PA Media