A moments reflection for the Olympic and Paralympic dreams currently being completed in East London.
Sadly, due to time constraints, we haven’t watched that much of the Paralympics; it is being shown on TV, live on Channel 4, but there isn’t enough hours in the day to do them justice. It was pretty much the same for the Olympics too; we wanted to watch as much as we could, but there was just too much.
Anyway, that aside, I really just want to write down some other thoughts on the Olympics in general. The whole event ends, apparently, at 16:15 next Monday, and then we really will be back to normal. Driving home from work, Radio 5 has live coverage of many events and goes to a reporter when a medal is won. It does feel so special to be a part of it all, even if it is just listening to the radio on my way home. I have sports news ticking over in a window on my computer, so every now and again I will check for news.
I first saw the Olympic site back in June 2009 when I went with my friend, Matt, to see trains at Stratford. We moved down to Pudding Mill Lane and were treated to views over to the stadium and other venues being built. Since then, Jools and I went up to snap a stream train passing the same location, and the stadium continues to rise up. And all through that time, no stories about how badly things were going, no accidents or mishaps were reported. Venues were completed on schedule, test events were run. The transport infrastructure was built and completed. High Speed rail ran from Kent under East London into St Pancras, a new DLR line opened running right through the concourse at the regional station.
All completed without fanfare and just worked. In truth the only bad news was the security guard fiasco created by G4S just before the games begun, but that was dealt with and we all moved on.
From what I saw on TV and in person on TV, was the sheer joy that was being displayed by everyone, especially the ‘games makers’, the volunteers who gave their time freely so we could all have a better Olympic experience. They were the cherries on the best cake I have ever seen. And then there was the sports, the athletes themselves; years of training for this one moment, and for British athletes, the chance in a lifetime to compete at a ‘home’ games. And then there was the 29 gold medals that were won on the Olympics and an ever-mounting number in the Paralympics. Just wonderful stuff.
OK, it isn’t finished yet, six more days to go, but I think we can safely say it has been a triumph; all the planning and hard work for what has been a pretty faultless four weeks of sport, without the much-expected disasters happening, and everything just worked. I hope that the rest of the world feels the same way about the London games, and think that we did a great job and the enjoyment shone through via the TV coverage.
This was our moment, and we took it and didn’t mess up.
And then there was the music.
We had been warned that loud pap music would be piped through the network of loudspeakers in the Olympic Park; but we found it to be an odd mix and one that kinda worked. I mean as we were sitting down for a coffee, Protection by Massive Attack came on. Jools and I differ on whether Protection is by Massive Attack (me) or Everything But the Girl (Jools), but we could agree it was Tracy Thorn singing.
Later, whilst walking to the basketball arena, I caught the opening bars of Heaven Knows I’m Miserable Now by the Smiths. Now, I’m a big a Smiths fan as anyone, but I am aware that that might not be an appropriate sentiment for the Olympic Park; but that and coupled with one Patrick Stephen Morrissey’s comments that he hates the Olympics for all the jingoistic flagwaving. But that isn’t the point, Moz? A couple of the games makers asked why I was laughing; it’s this song I said. Well, I explained as in the above. Oh, we were dancing to that she replied sadly.
Oh well.
In the stadium all sorts of classic pop music from the last 50 years livened up the gaps inbetween sporting events. It all seemed to work. Oddest moment, however, was as we were walking out of the stadium, when the opening bars to Here Comes Your Man by not-so-popular beat combo The Pixies wafted over the whole Olympic Park. I had been prepared for 24 hour Jessie J and One Direction, not the spirit of John Peel behind the desks.
2 comments:
I've been there with you all the way (for the last 100 or so entries *winks* )And I understand your comment QUOTE This was our moment, and we took it and didn’t mess up. UNQUOTE That's exactly how I felt with I competed in 1988 - "I went, I competed, and didn't mess up or make a fool of myself!"
I, and I guess most of Britain, hopes that the rest of the world enjoyed the games as much as we did.
I think to see the athletes in person in the stadium at their moment of triumph or disaster shows just how much it meant. I mean many have been training their whole lives for that moment. I had to fight back the tears when Richard Whitehead won gold, it was that glorious.
Post a Comment