The Opening Ceremony

As Ian Walker explained in his final diary prior to the Games, the British Olympic Association rules don't allow him to write for us during the actual event. So now his wife Lisa takes up the keyboard, and gives us her perspective on the Olympic experience; as spectator, supporter, tourist and journalist.

The British Olympic sailing team congregated at the Athlete's Village to prepare themselves for this evening’s celebrations. Quite how they will feel as they enter Stadium Australia in the glare of the world’s media, I can only try to imagine.
While our sailors begin their Olympic journey, those of us left behind have plenty of opportunities to savour the Olympic party atmosphere. Sydney has laid on six 'live sites' where there are giant screens which will have a live screening of the Opening Ceremony and of the events throughout the Games.

The group without tickets for the Opening Ceremony settled on a destination - the live site at Circular Quay (Sydney's famous harbour ferry terminus, almost next to the Opera House), to have some fun and immerse ourselves in the Olympic ambience. We were not the only ones, as thousands had joined us to watch the Opening Ceremony on the giant screens.

The area was packed with Aussie flags, but Sue Crafer, Milly Mynors, Nigel Cherrie, Sarah Ayton and myself were flying the Union Jack high, and trying not to lose our voices as we cheered for our country. We waited patiently for Team GB to appear on the giant screen, and were not disappointed. There were a few boos from some of the crowd as we cheered them on, but they were drowned out by our fellow Brits dotted amongst the huge crowd. We realised as the Irish Team came out where most of those booing us hailed from.

We saw the smiling faces of Shirley Robertson and Jim Saltonstall on the huge screen, and we can be sure that Jim was giving plenty of advice to his 'ferrets', the benefit of his many years of Olympic experience. We took great pride in telling anyone who would listen that our husbands, boyfriends or friends were there amongst the team. It was a time to feel very British, but still, nothing can beat the Aussie picnic of spit roast 'chook' and plenty of tinnies that we took along!

We had waited patiently, along with the rest of the world, to find out who would be lighting the Olympic Cauldron - rumours have been rife, but nobody was sure. In the end, the Olympic Torch was taken into Stadium Australia and as a celebration to Olympic Women, handed over to Betty Cuthbert (athlete) and Raelene Boyle (swimmer), then to Dawn Fraser (swimmer), to Shirley Strickland (athlete), to Shane Gould (swimmer), to Debbie Flintoff-King (athlete) and then to Cathy Freeman (athlete) - the heroine of the moment in Australia. Perhaps seen as a politically correct choice, Cathy then lit a ring of fire around herself which was raised to become the Olympic Cauldron. An amazing sight that I hope you'll see for yourselves back in Britain.

The Opening Ceremony is perhaps the most poignant moment - barring any medal ceremonies - of the Games, and it has made all of us here remember those close to us who are missing. Of the 17 members of the Savannah Olympic Sailing Team, two people are no longer with us - John Merricks and Glyn Charles are close to everyone’s thoughts here in Sydney.