Birmingham gives kiss of life to Commonwealth Games with fortnight to savour

When Games time was over Jake Jarman led the England team out for its final curtain call.

Jarman, an athlete few had heard of a fortnight ago, a gymnast who only made the reserve list for last summer’s Olympics.

Yet the 20-year-old was a perfect choice for the host nation; an over achiever at a sporting festival exceeding every expectation.

Nobody saw him winning four gold medals - the most by an Englishman at the same Games for 24 years. Just as no-one imagined Birmingham so spectacularly reviving interest in a Commonwealth showpiece many view as past its sell-by date.

Short on stardust it might have been, with too many headliners choosing to stay away.

But for 11 days in and around Britain’s second city 1.5 million spectators filled every stadium, arena, aquatics centre and road side.

They revelled in the stories only sport provides in an atmosphere consistently reminiscent of London 2012.

England, with 176 medals, enjoyed its best ever Games, Birmingham city centre reported its busiest fortnight on record.

“This has been an absolutely exceptional Games for Team England,” said appropriately named chef de mission Mark England.

The 427-strong team finished two medals short of Australia, 178 to 176, leaving the boss “hurting” at falling short of his “aspirational” target of topping the medal table.

“We left a few out there,” England admitted. “Still, it is by some margin the best home performance of any English team in a Commonwealth Games.

“In fact, it’s the best Commonwealth Games performance by an English team.”

By the time squash duo James Willstrop and Declan James won England’s 57th and last gold thoughts had turned to the Paris Olympics and how this momentum can be maintained.

“We've always looked at Paris as a