By Michael Pavitt

The Opening and Closing Ceremonies were found to be the most inspirational moments of the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games ©Getty ImagesA survey has revealed that the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games Opening and Closing Ceremonies were found to be the most inspirational moments of the Games.


The research, which marked six months on from the Games, showed that 58 per cent of respondents believe they were inspired by the Ceremonies, finishing ahead of the friendly atmosphere in the host city and Scotland welcoming the world to the Games, which 51 and 49 per cent found to be inspirational.

Nearly a quarter of those surveyed found Scotland's Ross Murdoch's 200 metres breaststroke gold medal to be the most inspirational sporting moment of the Games, followed by more home successes with Charlie Flynn's boxing gold medal and Lynsey Sharp's 800m silver medal garnering 22 and 20 per cent respectively.

"I'm delighted that Scots are still inspired by the Games, which were a fantastic collaboration of sporting and cultural achievements," said Jamie Hepburn, Minister for Sport, Health Improvement and Mental Health.

"Many people have already made New Year's resolutions to be more physically active in 2015 and I will be working hard to increase sports participation and make sure that we get maximum benefit from the legacy of the Games."

Ross Murdoch's gold medal in the 200m Breaststroke Final was named the most inspirational sporting moment ©Getty ImagesRoss Murdoch's gold medal in the 200m Breaststroke Final was named the most inspirational sporting moment ©Getty Images



Hepburn's statement is supported by the research which found that 94 per cent of those surveyed confirming that they were trying to take steps towards a more active lifestyle in 2015, with swimming, cycling and football found to be most popular sports to participate in, six months on from the Glasgow Commonwealth Games.

Stewart Harris, chief executive of sportscotland, the national agency for sport in the country, stated that the Commonwealth Games had accelerated plans to create a world-class sporting system in Scotland, and believes Scotland's performance of the Games was a reflection of the investment made in sport.

"The high performance system is the best it has ever been with sports, athletes, and coaches working closely with the experts from sportsscotland institute of sport and it produced a record-breaking 53 medals for Team Scotland at Glasgow  -an incredible performance on the global stage," he said.

The survey is further evidence of the positive reception of the 2014 Commonwealth Games, after a report by the organisers in August had claimed that 91 per cent of 20,000 spectators surveyed had declared themselves satisfied with the Games.

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