As the Manchester Commonwealth Games approach, it’s nice to look back and see how much Manchester itself has been associated with both athletics and cycling, especially since the ‘48 Games.

The 1948 Games were the first Olympics to take place following the end of the 2nd World War. Rationing was still in existence, so the athletes had to supply all their own food and the majority of them were housed in the old Army Barrack huts close to London.

There were over 4000 athletes taking part in the London Games, but there is no doubt who was the star that year. It was a Dutch lady called Fanny Blankers Koen. She won the 100 and 200metre races, 50metre Hurdles and also the 4x100metre Relay Race. Four gold medals! Not bad for a mother of two children, she became known as ‘The flying housewife!’

As far as Manchester was concerned, we had two stars. Both were cyclists’. Reg Harris and Alan Bannister. Reg Harris won a Silver medal in the 1000metre race, he also won a Silver medal along with Alan Bannister for coming second in the 2000metre Tandem race.

After the Olympics Reg Harris turned professional and became World Professional Sprint Champion in 1949; 1950; 1951 and 1954. He was elected Sportsman of the year for two years running 1949 and 1950. As a world renown sportsman, a stadium was named after him, this of course was the ‘Harris Stadium’ in Fallowfield. Now of course East Manchester has the best cycling stadium in the country, The Manchester Velodrome.

Getting back to athletics, Manchester came to the forefront in the 50s and 60s by staging international meetings at the ‘White City Stadium’ in Stretford. They also staged the first indoor athletics meetings to take place since before the War, at the ‘Kings Hall, Belle Vue’. All these meetings were organised by the ‘Mancastrian Club’ and sponsored by the ‘Evening Cronicle’. One name sticks out more than any other in the organising of those events, The Reverend Father Coulthard, a very fine athletics coach.

As a Mancunian I’ve always felt privileged to have seen in our own back yard, in action, some of the best athletes the world has known. Athletes such as Zatopeck, Herb Elliot, Chris Brasher, Derek Ibbotson, Gordon Pirie and Dianne Leather.

Of course all that is in the past and we must now concentrate on the future. The Commonwealth Games are coming to Manchester July 25th to August 4th. It is the biggest multi-sport event in the world (with the exception of the Olympics).
Alongside the Velodrome in East Manchester we have the new Sports City Stadium built on the ground where our fathers and brothers worked long, long hours, down Bradford Coal Pit, Stuart Street Power Station, Johnson’s Wireworks and Bradford Road Gas Works. I’m sure if all those people from years gone by who lived and worked in this area could be here today, they’d be amazed and pleased by what has been achieved by the people of today!

We already know that thousands of athletes will be descending on Sports City to take part in all the different events. There will be many more spectators here to enjoy The Games and the sights of Manchester. I can’t wait to take our visitors a walk down ‘S—- Yard Lane!!’.

That’s my job sorted for the 2002 Commonwealth Games, What’s Yours?
Alf Almond.