Some call it the greatest show on Earth. By gum, did Beijing deliver it.
From the start, the world’s most populous nation gave the world one of the most amazing public spectacles of human endeavour ever seen. Zhang Yimou’s vision of creating a performance for an Opening Ceremony using China’s best resource, its people, was simply mind-blowing. If there was ever a perfect ceremony to open any event, Zhang provided it. It was poignant, celebratory and an invitation for the world to see what China is all about, yet, I thought, without being particularly arrogant about it. It was trying to show that China was all grown up as a nation, as my friend Sanney Leung puts it, "the man of the 21st century".
But there was only one way to describe the opening ceremony, and spectacular is the word for it. And indeed, even before the sports events started, question started in my mind over how anyone in London can surpass that. Yes, it’s a challenge!
Over the next 16 days, the real reason why everyone was there, the sports themselves kicked off and there was even more to make the games memorable. Apart from the obligatory mentions of the phenomenal Michael Phelps with 8 gold medals in swimming, and Usain Bolt’s triple gold (and three world records) in athletics, there were plenty of other inspiring performances.
For me, one of the great performances has to be the Chinese gymnastics team. I remember watching the gymnastics as a kid (my mum loves the sport and every spring when the world championships were on, we’d watch all the coverage). I haven’t watch much gymnastics in recent years (not at least for the last two Olympics), my memories were that it was a difficult sport, won mostly eastern European athletes competing.
Well, all that has clearly changed. And watching the gymnasts this year, I can simply say the standards have improved, and certainly a change led by the Chinese team. Never have I seen so many audacious moves on so many pieces of apparatus, never have I seen so many landings nailed perfectly. An astonishing team, and even if those girls turn out to be (illegally) less than 16 years of age as alleged, well, we can only say, “watch out London 2012″.
British highlights for me include: the superb cyclists on the road and the track, including triple gold for Chris Hoy and also Rebecca Romero who has now won Olympic medals in two sports; our sailing medals, including Ben Ainslie’s third gold in three Olympic games (knocking on the door of the Redgrave/Pinsent club); and the clinical performance of Britain’s rowers.
But even the low-lights and disappontments had some positives to admire. As a follower of Paula Radcliffe, it was disappointing to see that her fight for fitness was lost, but knowing that she is the genuine fighter she is (no matter what non-followers might think), it was heartening to see her give it a go. Similarly for Liu Xiang, the Chinese 110m hurdler, China’s Olympic pin-up who had the weight of 1.3 billion people’s expectations on his shoulders, but couldn’t even get over the first hurdle. Lesson simply is that it’s just not possible to compete without being fit. But one has to give it a go.
Michaela Breeze, Britain’s under 63kg weightlifter, demonstrated that true Olympic spirit. She had been selected for the Olympics, but had picked up a back injury in the weeks before she was due to compete. She had thought about pulling out, but seeing that there was no one else to replace her for GB in her category, she went anyway. And lifting through the pain, there was no fairy tale story. She came last in her category. But the heart of everyone watching was warmed. One woman, not giving up on a dream.
In the last two weeks, it has been an inspiring demonstration of what one can achieve if you want it so badly, and you are willing to put the work into it. From an Opening and Closing ceremony that took a year just to rehearse, to the four years of hard work that each athlete at the Games has to put in to just be on the stage, anything is achievable. One world, one dream – yes, you can live that dream.
China walked away with 100 medals, more than half of them (51) golds. Great Britain are coming home with 47 medals, of which 19 were gold, the best performance in the last 100 years or so. An astounding achievement by both teams – I’m certainly inspired!
And so, as the 29th Olympiad closed, London takes over in 2012. As I currently live just a hop, step and a big jump (or a DLR ride) away from where the cauldron will be in four years’ time, my mind wonders as to the spectacle that the UK can put on. I very much hope it can surpass what is so far the greatest show on Earth.
Come on London!
Links:
Sanney Leung on The Olympic Opening Ceremony
BBC News: Olympics
BBC News: Michaela Breeze in the weightlifting (UK only)
BBC News: Olympic Review (UK only)