It is a good job they managed to get those extra seats finished in time.

The first big day in the pool began with a frantic screwing of screws and turning of nuts as the 718 additional seats were hastily erected over what only days before had been a diving pool.

And as the day began with Janine Belton's 200m Freestyle event, the crowd once again provided a splendid atmosphere in what is proving to be a cosy and enticing venue.

The usual vocal suspects appeared once again - the Aussies, South Africans and Canadians providing an oasis of variety in a desert of British support.

The Welsh dragons wrapped around one swathe of home support, while the cross of St George appeared with its normal frequency on many a hat, face, scarf, t-shirt and flag.

Swimming often comes a close second behind athletics in popularity at these multi-sport events and yeterday's opening day proved that these Games would be no exception.

Although disappointing for our Bradford girl's army of fans - the shouts of "come on Janine" became more desperate the further she slipped behind - it was certainly an interesting day at the pool.

The traditional swimming costumes of the fairer sex have been replaced by new 21st century bodysuits that would look more in place at a fetish party than a top class aquatic event.

But one benefit these new modest, cover-up outfits provide is widening sporting boundaries.

Sana Abdul Wahid took advantage of this in the 50m Butterfly to become the first Pakistani woman to compete in a pool outside a Muslim country.

So much have the traditional values changed, that she even managed to admit that she thought Ian Thorpe was good-looking in her post-swim interview.

Whether or not you agree with that, the Thorpedo is an impressive athlete.

He began his Commonwealth Games with a two-second victory in his 400m Freestyle heat. With his size 17 feet acting as paddles he glided effortlessly ahead of his competitors for an easy win and the now commonplace resounding cheer that follows him everywhere.

He is to the water what Tiger Woods is to the fairway and his presence alone could well have contributed to many of the 1,500-plus ticket sales for day one of what promises to be an exciting week of splashing about.

As well as the highly-skilled, highly-trained athletes in the water there is the traditional Commonwealth selection of bricks.

Just as a Samoan failed to triple-jump his way even to the edge of the sandpit in the athletics, Manchester's own Eric the Eel proved to be Barnsley Albert of the Seychelles, who finished 17 seconds down in his race.

Thorpe had already begun his interviews under the swarm of watching media by the time Albert completed his last stroke, but he got the usual cheer for his sterling efforts as the Manchester party continued in

style.

Wet or dry, jumping or riding, the Commonwealth Games are proving a resounding success.