Manchester’s Great CityGames began as scheduled on Friday with the women’s pole vault kicking off events in Albert Square, where days earlier thousands had gathered for a vigil following the terror attack on Manchester Arena.
Speaking near the 200m running track set up on Deansgate, a major thoroughfare that leads towards the arena, the Olympic hurdles medallist and BBC commentator Colin Jackson said it was right that the event went ahead.
“Sport can galvanise us as a nation,” he said. “I think it’s really important that sport carries on and we show what we can do.
“I think people will come out because they want to support, not just for the event but for each other. There is something reassuring about rubbing shoulders with like-minded people who share the trauma that everybody feels.”
The event is part of a weekend of sport in the city. However, some music events are not going ahead, with the US rock band Kiss the latest musicians to pull out of a show at the arena where 22 people were killed when a suicide bomb was detonated minutes after an Ariana Grande concert.
The band said they were “heartbroken by the atrocity committed against the innocent victims of Manchester” and would not be able to play on Tuesday. “We have always looked forward to these shows and our local fans, but in light of recent events a cancelled rock show seems of such little consequence. Our thoughts and prayers are with the families and friends of those affected and all the people of Manchester at this difficult time. We are with you and you are in our prayers.”
Take That have also postponed concerts at the Manchester venue. They had been due to perform on three consecutive nights but said they would now perform one show, rescheduled for 18 June.
A World Wrestling Entertainment event due to be held at the arena has also been cancelled; several wrestling personalities will be “visiting with those affected by the tragedy”. The WWE said it would make a donation to the We Love Manchester emergency fund.
Grande has cancelled her London tour dates and suspended her Dangerous Woman tour “until we can further assess the situation and pay our proper respects to those lost”, her management said.
Chelsea football club said they would not have an open-top bus victory parade on Sunday to celebrate their Premier League title success. In addition, Chelsea and Arsenal have said they will not be holding a victory parade if they beat the other team in the FA Cup final at Wembley. An event with Cristiano Ronaldo in London has also been cancelled.
Chelsea FC said: “In light of these tragic events, we feel it is inappropriate to go ahead with the parade. Given the heightened security threat announced by the government, and recognising that this is a developing situation, we believe this is the correct course of action. We are sure our fans will understand.”
Arsenal said: “Should the team win Saturday’s FA Cup final at Wembley, we can also confirm that a victory parade will not take place … We did not want to place any additional pressure on police and security services at this time and have been working closely with them ahead of making this decision.”
