One of the best Games villages-1/10/10

One of the best Games villages


Around ten days back the Commonwealth Games Village was described as 'filthy' and 'uninhabitable'. Now, every athlete, including our correspondent Harish Kotian, is falling in love with the place.

Around ten days back the Commonwealth Games Village was described as 'filthy' and 'uninhabitable'. Now, it seems every athlete is falling in love with the place.

Hectic work over the last couple of weeks has seen the organizers turn around things in style. Many of the foreign athletes are describing the Village as one of the best they have ever witnessed.

England's badminton ace Nathan Robertson, a veteran of three Commonwealth Games, says the accommodation is the best he has ever seen.

"We have been here two days now. We all saw reports a week ago back in England about the Games Village. But I must tell you that the village quality is very good and the food hall is excellent. The accommodation is possibly the best that I have ever stayed in. It was a little dirty when we arrived but the actual accommodation is some of the best we have stayed from the previous Commonwealth Games," he said.

Robertson, who won gold in the mixed doubles and silver in the team event at the 2006 Melbourne Commonwealth Games, said it was a pleasant surprise to find things in order.

"It was a little dusty when we arrived because a lot of work was being done last week, like cleaning up the apartments. But that is really a minor problem as compared to what we saw in reports a week or so ago," he said.

Photographs: Harish Kotian