It didn’t take four years of preparation but as I synced my DVR, checked my interactive athletes and medal count lists in anticipation of the XXX Summer Olympiad I couldn’t help but be let down by the long, commercial interrupted opening ceremony of the host county Great Britain. This brought to mind the challenges for any host country, but for Great Britain there were the terrorist threats early on during preparations, the infrastructure upgrades for venues and travel all making for a difficult hosting of the games. Only a half hour into the ceremonies I felt the lasting memory of how the proper acting, non emotional exhibiting British could be hosts of such an expressive Olympic game. I hadn’t meant to compare 2008’s opening ceremony but Beijing’s art and pageantry immediately put London behind the host proverbial eight ball! Maybe it was the amount of emphasis placed on show and not substance, it could be the political platform used by most countries at the expense of the athletes, or maybe it was my preconceived notions about the Olympics and the people of Great Britain but being as down as it was I would be pleasantly surprised by the events and their host as the experience would only get better for me!
As simple starting the events itself the XXX Summer Olympiad immediately picked up which was a testament to the Olympic committee. Led by British Olympic great Lord Sebastian Coe the venue set up was magnificent transforming East London into the atmosphere needed to showcase top athletes from around the world. The ExCeL, Aquatics Centre, Basketball Arena, Horse Guards Parade all great centers of action with some of London’s great sites, like Buckingham Palace, not far away from sightseers in some cases even serving as the backdrop to events. How could the games not take an uptick with Chinese shooter Yi Siling winning the first gold medal of the games? But it was more than that for me; it was a complete turnaround from the dull, dreary looking opening ceremonies to excitement of watching athletes put forth their best efforts after years of practice representing team and country. Who would show this better than the host country, Great Britain?
From commoner to royal the display of enthusiasm for their athletes was contagious. Even the partial reporting from famed BBC was chucked out the door when it came down to giving the actual occurrence of events or rooting for Team GBR. Notwithstanding the medal hording by the Russians, Chinese, and Americans summer Olympic hosts usually don’t fare so well in the medals won standings but with golden performances outside of the norm events of rowing, equestrian and archery Team GBR was providing something for the home fans to cheer and spot some tea to! There is definitely something to the feeling of the home crowd, using that buzz to perform feats otherworldly and the Olympians from Great Britain were proving just that thrill for the spectators from overseas and the neighboring boroughs!
Just witnessing the acts of Team GBR that resulted in many moments and medals; Mohamed Farah in the 5,000m & 10,000m, Jessica Ennis in the Heptathlon, Jade Jones & Muhammad Lutalo in Taekwondo with Brownlee Brothers, Alistair & Jonathan in the triathlon competition all proved home town backing can equate to great Olympic moments! And with the performances in the books my memorable moments from the XXX Summer Olympics were complete. I very much appreciate the every 4 years when competitors from around the world come to perform at the highest levels in front of billions, where a mindset of dull and emotionless was changed to being impressed and full of emotion. I’m looking forward to see what is in store from the fiesta that will be Rio de Janeiro in 2016!
