What a pity that generosity and gregariousness was marred by poor choices at both the opening and closing ceremonies.

Perhaps the organisers could have taken a leaf out of the books of those in the west putting up exclusion fences – when you leave something out, the whole show suffers.

The decision not to have the athletes enter Metricon Stadium at Cararra en masse, waving and dancing as we’re used to seeing, has already been well covered by social media from the moment it became apparent that this element had been left out of the closing ceremony in favour of speeches by dignitaries.

So much else at the Games left nothing but good vibes.

There were the giggling female Fijian athletes boarding the light rail at Broachbeach South clutching bagfuls of goodies purchased nearby at Pacific Fair.

There was the utter jubilation of Cameroon triple jumper, Marcel Mayak II, who hopped, stepped and hang glided to a personal best and his stated aim of reaching the podium on the world stage – he won a bronze medal.

And there were all the Borobi Boogie spectators dancing happily for the entertainment of all on the big screen at various stadium venues, intertwined with Welsh-like renditions of Sweet Caroline - “hands, touching hands, reaching out, touching me, touching you” – that brought out all those warm Commonwealth of Nations sentiments you’d expect.

Only the shooters would have tasted the bittersweet feeling of perhaps competing for the last time at a Commonwealth Games, thanks to a decision to leave the sport out of the competition schedule at Birmingham in four years time.

Any permanent omission would be a great shame – there were centuries of tradition as well as concentration and marksmanship of the highest order on show at Belmont.

Sally Cripps

Fairfax Media senior journalist