At 11am we set off to Excel to watch the Men’s boxing finals. Just after 2am on Monday morning I got back after having seen Team GB win our last gold and watched a spectacular closing ceremony in the Olympic Park.
Over the last month it’s beeng great to see the build up to the games and the sense of proudness, hospitality and coming together that has surrounded all of the London 2012 Olympics. Sitting in Excel and hearing the crowd cheer when Joshua Anthony won Team GB’s last Olympic Gold in London 2012 was amazing. Though I’m not British it was something special when the Union Flag was raised and the national anthem sung. And then there was the closing ceremony.
We arrived in the Olympic Park just after 5pm, wondered around and took in the atmosphere. Just after 7pm we went in found our seats and watched the rest of the stadium fill up with people who were just as excited as we were. It was warm and sunny and as the pre-show began at 8pm we were all made to sing along and go through some of the parts where they wanted us the audience to join in. I’m never going to forget when we all sang along to Queen’s ‘We are the champions’ as the sun began to set.
Sitting there looking out over the stadium and the 80,000 people I was filled with equal parts sadness and excitement. The games have been fantastic and I’m so proud of London and the rest of the UK pulling it all together. Being a Londoner for the last 6 1/2 years, having worked on the BBC’s online coverage of the games and experienced the games first hand are all memories that I’m going to cherish for the rest of my life. The Olympics is by far one of the greatest shows on earth and whether you like sport or not a true testament to what bringing nations and people together across borders can do and how it can inspire a generation. Something I look forward to sharing with our future kids and grand kids one day.
Tomorrow – Day 226 | From one world to another
Image: Take That performing ‘Rule the world’ out as the cauldron is lowered just before the Olympic flame is put out
