IOC president closes ‘happy and glorious’ Games
Athletes in the centre of the Olympics Stadium party in the shower of the fireworks. — Reuters picLONDON, Aug 13 — The London Olympics were described as “happy and glorious” by International Olympic Committee President Jacques Rogge yesterday as he officially closed the 30th Summer Games.
“These were happy and glorious Games,” Rogge told cheering competitors and spectators packed into the 80,000-capacity Olympic Stadium in east London, in a clear reference to Britain’s national anthem and Queen Elizabeth’s Diamond Jubilee.
“You have shown the world the best of British hospitality.”
Rogge praised the London organising committee LOCOG, the volunteers who worked at the event, and the spectators and public for providing the “soundtrack” to the Games.
He also praised the athletes, saying they had earned the respect and admiration of a global audience for their commitment to fair play, respect for opponents and grace in defeat as well as victory.
“Many young people will be inspired to take up a sport or to pursue their dreams,” said Rogge as he handed over the Games to Rio de Janeiro in 2016, and the Olympic cauldron was extinguished before rock band The Who took centre stage.
The wording used by the IOC president at the closing ceremony is always closely watched by the Games’ organisers and other cities vying for the right to host future Olympics.
Rogge, a Belgian surgeon who steps down as IOC president next year after 12 years in the role, described the Beijing games as “truly exceptional”.
He called the Athens Games in 2004 “unforgettable, dream Games”.
Former IOC president Juan Antonio Samaranch was in the habit of describing each Games as “the best ever”, with the notable exception of Atlanta in 1996, which he called “most exceptional”, incurring him the wrath of the American city.
London Olympic organisers promised an unforgettable party to close the 2012 Games and they pulled out all the stops to make it a night to remember with Britain stamped all over it.
Rio de Janeiro Mayor Eduardo Paes (right) waves the Olympic Flag with IOC President Rogge (centre) and London Mayor Boris Johnson at the closing ceremony. — Reuters picThe Olympic Stadium that has witnessed tears and triumphs over the past week was transformed into a mini-London, with model landmarks including Tower Bridge and St Paul’s Cathedral dotted across a Union Jack shaped stage.
The ceremony opened with nine strikes of parliament’s “Big Ben” clock as singer Emeli Sande was unwrapped on a newspaper garbage truck to sing “Read All About It”.
Vehicles covered in newsprint set off around a road circling the stage as day appeared to break in London and actor Timothy Spall dressed as British wartime Prime Minister Winston Churchill quoted from Shakespeare’s The Tempest.
The audience cheered as Prince Harry arrived to represent Queen Elizabeth alongside Rogge, and stood to sing the national anthem.
Then the party, expected to be watched by 300 million people globally, really kicked up a gear.
“Batman and Robin” appeared from an exploding car and the ska-pop group Madness belted out “Our House”, a reminder of the thousands of street parties held across Britain in June during celebrations for the queen’s Diamond Jubilee when the 1980s band sang the same song atop Buckingham Palace.
A troop of 160 guards from the Household Division Ceremonial State Band joined the arena followed by the Pet Shop Boys singing “West End Girls” and then teen hearthrobs One Direction with “What Makes You Beautiful”.
“Aaaahh can’t believe we’re missing One Direction as were not allowed in!!! Grrr!!,” tweeted British swimmer Rebecca Adlington who won two bronze medals at London.
Flags and medals
Athletes from the 204 competing nations joined the closing ceremony 30 minutes after it kicked off, entering casually together rather than parading in their national teams as at the opening ceremony, while British band Elbow performed a rousing version of “Open Arms”.
Waving flags and proudly displaying medals, the athletes streamed into the brightly lit stadium, taking photos of the audience and other athletes who will head off in their masses tomorrow after the 17-day event.
The acts performing at the three-hour closing ceremony were supposed to be a closely guarded secret, but some artists, such as George Michael, Muse and Ed Sheeran, confirmed their participation. The Spice Girls were photographed back together and rehearsing offsite ahead of the night.
The mood of the evening was set by Stephen Daldry, in charge of the London ceremonies, who advised everyone to “get the beers in” and predicting audiences and athletes would be as wowed by the finale as they were by Danny Boyle’s opening spectacular.
Boyle, the award-winning film director, earned warm praise for his opening ceremony that was unabashedly British in its humour, cultural references and soundtrack.
Some audiences, however, were left confused by some of the quirky British references.
The closing ceremony was likely to also have some scratching their heads as cyclists appeared in fluorescent orange sculptural headwear and Batman’s appearance was really a reference to classic British TV comedy “Only Fools and Horses”. — Reuters
