London Olympics 2012:

A grand spectacle

The most significant sporting event of the world the London Olympics 2012 or the 30th Olympiad of the modern era will end today, August 12, with yet another spectacular closing ceremony leaving lasting memories in all those who attended the Games. Most of you would have watched the breathtaking scenes that unfolded at the Olympic Park and Stadium during the 27 million opening ceremony .It started simply with the Olympic Stadium turning into a meadow, filled with a variety of activities .You would have seen a host of children participating in different acts. Do you know that in one of the ceremony’s centrepieces, the celebration of the Health Service – featuring more than 600 real NHS staff and patients the role of the happy pyjama-clad patients were played by children who leaped up and down on 320 giant hospital beds.

The patients, who later left their beds to join a dance routine, included real patients from the London children’s hospital. Among them was Lottie Pink, ten, from South West London, who was treated for a brain tumour two years ago and returns to the hospital every few months for check-ups.

She said: ‘I am proud to represent all the great work the hospital does. Without them, I would not be here. This is a once-in-a-lifetime.’ Then there were seven teenage athletes who lit copper petals - brought in by each of the 204 countries - which converged in spectacular fashion to form the cauldron in the middle of the Olympic Stadium.They were Callum Airlie, 17, nominated by gold medal-winning sailor Shirley Robertson. He has been sailing since the age of four, and is a two-time Optimist UK national champion who aims to be entered into the 2013 ISAF (International Sailing Association; Federation) Open. Jordan Duckitt, 18, who was chairman of the London 2012 Young Ambassador Steering Group for two years, and was nominated by Duncan Goodhew.

Athletics talent Desiree Henry who was put forward by Daley Thomson. The 16-year-old was the youngest member of the Great Britain youth team to gain a world 200m title at the IAAF World Youth Championships in 2011, and competes this year at the World Junior Championships in Barcelona.Runner Katie Kirk nominated by Dame Mary Peters, won gold in the women’s Pentathlon at the 1972 Munich Games. Katie, 18, was selected to run at the Commonwealth Games in Delhi, India, in the 400m and 4x400m relay. She was also part of the gold medal-winning team in the 4x400m relay at the European Junior championships in Tallinn, Estonia. Sir Steve nominated young rower Cameron MacRitchie, 19.The teenager finished fifth with his partner James Edwards in the men’s pair at the 2012 GB rowing team under 23 trials in April.

He was selected in the men’s eight to race at the World Rowing Under 23 Championships in Lithuania. Aidan Reynolds, 18, was put forward by Lynn Davies, who captained Team GB at Moscow 1980 and Los Angeles 1984.Aidan gave up a promising basketball career to focus on the javelin, winning three medals at national level at the English Schools, UK School Games and English Championships.Adelle Tracey was nominated by Dame Kelly Holmes.The 19-year-old has collected county, regional and national junior and senior titles in 400m and 800m, and has been in the top five UK rankings for the last six years. She won 800m silver for Great Britain in the European Youth Olympic Festival in Finland.

There were many children and young athletes who were involved in this year’s Games right from the start - the Olympic Torch Relay . Those of you who cherish dreams of participating in the Olympic Games someday would have certainly been greatly inspired by them. The many achievements of the young athletes could be used as a spring board for you to hone in on your talents in the sporting field and reach great height to bring fame to our motherland some day.

Some of the teens who came into the limelight include 17-year-old Missy Franklin who broke the American Record and took home the gold for women’s 100m backstroke, holding off world-record holder Australia’s Emily Seebohm, Gabrielle Douglas who won the gold medal in the women’s gymnastics all round and Ruta Meilutyte, the 15-year-old who won gold in the 100-metre breaststroke.The young swimmer ,Meilutyte, who won the gold at the Olympic Park Aquatic Centre.

Speaking after her victory she said:“I really can’t say anything. It was hard and difficult. At the moment I can’t speak too much but it means a lot to me and I am so proud.”She later told Lithuanian journalists:“On the podium my legs were shaking so much I thought I was going to fall down. She became the first swimmer from her country to win a gold medal at the Olympics in the 100m breaststroke final.

China absolutely owned the diving world. Cao and Zhang took home the gold in the men’s synchronized 10-metre platform. Cao, 17, and Zhang, 18, racked up four perfect scores on the day en route to a total of 486.78 points.

So, today we feature some highlights and the teens who showed their colours.You can certainly look forward to another grand finale of the Greatest Sporting event on Earth.Most of you must have enjoyed the glitter and the glamour of the amazing opening ceremony,especially the fireworks which were very impressive and could be seen for miles. The closing night would be equally grand or even more spectacular and breathtaking no doubt.

Highlights of the Closing Ceremony

The Closing Ceremony celebrates the achievements of athletes at the London 2012 Olympic Games, and includes handover from one Host City to the next. London will handover to Rio de Janeiro for the 2016 Olympic Games. The Closing Ceremony also features the extinguishing of the Olympic Flame, signalling the end of the Games.

The Closing Ceremony will provide an opportunity for the world to view the artistic expression of Artistic Director Kim Gavin, his team and the culture of the host city and the UK. As with the Opening Ceremony, there are certain elements that must feature as outlined in the International Olympic Committee (IOC) Charter. The artistic performance of the Ceremony then gets underway and celebrates the success of the Games.

The Closing Ceremony of the Olympic Games will be titled ‘A Symphony of British Music’, to celebrate the fact that music has been one of Britain’s strongest cultural exports over the last 50 years. The worldwide broadcast of the Ceremony will feature more than 4,100 performers, including 3,500 adult volunteers and 380 schoolchildren from the six east London Host Boroughs. Organisers will work with some of the country’s most globally successful musicians, along with some of the industry’s stars of tomorrow. The London Symphony Orchestra (LSO) has been appointed to record the soundtracks for the Opening and Closing Ceremonies of both the Olympic and Paralympic Games.March of the athletes:The flagbearers of the participating delegations enter the Stadium in single file, closely followed by the athletes. At the Closing Ceremony, athletes march together, not by nationality. This is a tradition that began at the Melbourne 1956 Olympic Games and is a way of bringing the athletes of the world together as ‘one nation’.

Mr. Bean in a comedy skit.

Fireworks (above) and dancing (right) at the opening ceremony.

Three national flags will be hoisted on flagpoles one at a time, while the corresponding national anthems are played: the flag of Greece to honour the birthplace of the Olympic Games, the flag of the Host Nation (UK), and the flag of the country hosting the next Summer Olympic Games (Brazil). The Mayor of the Host City will join the President of the IOC on the rostrum and give him back the flag. The President of the IOC will then symbolically present this to the Mayor of the next Host City of the Olympic Games, before making a speech declaring the Games closed. The Olympic Flame, which has been burning in the Cauldron since the opening of the Games, is then extinguished – a poignant and moving moment for all those involved in the Games and the audience at large.

Facts and pix: Internet