By mdsayhammia on Skatehive
The 21st Commonwealth Games kicked off on Thursday after a spectacular opening ceremony on the Gold Coast. More than 4,500 athletes from 71 nations and territories will be competing for 275 gold medals over the 11 days of competition. A crowd of 35,000 packed into the Carrara Stadium, normally the home of Australian Rules football side Gold Coast Suns, BBC reports. A heavy downpour of rain greeted the start of proceedings but that failed to dampen spirits. The crowd and athletes were then treated to a ceremony showcasing music and dance drawing on Australia's history and traditions. The Games were officially declared open by the Prince of Wales, representing the Queen, the head of the Commonwealth. However, there were protests outside the stadium by indigenous rights activists who earlier disrupted the Queen's baton relay as it made its way to the stadium. The first gold medal of the Games will be awarded in women's triathlon on Thursday. Australian delegation receives noisy welcome Af