Although in some ways I’m glad the Olympics are over, it’s also quite hard to adjust back to normality after three incredible and jam-packed weeks! There have been so many memorable moments, from attending the dress rehearsal for the Opening Ceremony to holding the Olympic Flame, attending events and being overwhelmed with emotion as so many people realised their dreams and won gold. It was fantastic to be in London, cheering on Team GB with the rest of the country (yeah, I’m a lousy Aussie I know). On ‘Super Saturday’ when Team GB won three gold medals within an hour or so, Brendan and I were watching on TV at home, screaming our lungs out for Mo, Jess and Greg (sorry neighbours!)…it was, quite simply, awesome.
Here are a few photos of (some of) the highlights of our Olympic experiences:
On day one of the Games, we enjoyed a picnic in Richmond Park and watched the road cycling race fly past, once in the morning and again on their way to the finish line in the afternoon. It was no Tour de France but the atmosphere was festive and everyone was in such a great mood (the police on duty were smiling and waving, which is very different to the Tour de France!!).
I got to see the synchronised swimming technical finals, which was amazing! What these ladies achieve in the water is incredible…although I still find the sport a little creepy on the whole. Any sport where you’re expected to wear a full face of makeup and smile throughout is just unnatural…but it was a great experience nonetheless!
I hate to sound totally British by going on about the weather, but we were SO lucky to have incredible sunny weather that lasted for almost the entirety of the Games. I had a few hours to kill between events on the Olympic Park so I lay in the sun beside a field of wildflowers; it was blissful! The Olympic Park is beautiful; if you ever get a chance to visit, go and take a stroll along the river and through the gardens…
I absolutely loved the London 2012 Olympic Torch – just stunning!
Here’s me trying to dial down my elation because of how awesome my seat was for the athletics! Just being in the stadium was an unforgettable experience, but the highlight was seeing this guy winning gold in the 200m final:
It seemed that everyone in this city was completely overtaken by the Olympic spirit and hype; even London’s landmarks were adorned appropriately!
On the night that Mo Farah won the 5000m final, Brendan and I were in North Greenwich Arena about to watch the women’s gold medal basketball match. We crowded around a tiny screen to cheer Mo on, and the whole venue erupted when he crossed the finish line. I’ll admit my eyes welled up a little with pride for GB and all that they had achieved over the sixteen days, and I’m fairly confident I wasn’t the only one.
The basketball was great, although Team USA won by about 40 points, so it wasn’t exactly a nail-biter. This photo was taken well before tip-off, so those empty seats didn’t stay empty, don’t worry.
There were so many moments, both small and significant, which made the past few weeks some of the most memorable of our time here in London. I have to admit, this week has been tough as I adjust to regular terrible television and the return of the stony-faced commuters on the tube, but I’m really looking forward to the Paralympics and I’m hoping the nation gets behind the athletes just as much as they did during the Olympics.
What was the highlight for you of the London 2012 Olympic Games?
