Brisbane certainly was not the sunshine capital of the sunshine State yesterday,as visitors,competitors and dignitaries shivered,ceremonial hats were blown off and Matilda - the Games’ 13-metre high kangaroo mascot - wobbled precariously on her lap of the stadium.
Gusts which reached 35 knots during the ceremony - and 60 knots in other parts of the city - caused the abandonment of a display by nine skydivers.
Through it all,every one of the 70,000 people inside the stadium managed to retain the combination of dignity and sense of humor that is the hallmark of Commonwealth Games.
More than 2000 athletes from 45 nations marched - three,possibly five,more teams are expected here within the next two days - and another 8000 schoolchildren,lifesavers,marching girls and dancers took part in a series of impressive,colorful displays in front of 60,000 spectators.
The Games were opened officially at 4.23pm when Prince Philip read a message from the Queen which 3219 runners had carried 30,000 kilometres from London in three months. On yesterday’s last lap,the relay baton was carried by Victorian Raelene Boyle,31,Australia’s most successful woman athlete for more than a decade.