What Became of The London 2012 Olympic & Paralympic Legacy?

image

Info

4 Comments

• It has taken me a while to get on with this blog.  Having started and stopped many times, I’ve finally plucked up the courage to put forward my view point on this resounding question.

  I was given the unique opportunity to score the Paralympic Fencing and work with the Omega Swiss timing team based at the Excel, London.  I got the opportunity to see the most remarkable side of human strength and the sheer determination it took to complete in this sport.  Their superhuman ability to fight through pain and stay focused on the goal of winning, was truly inspiring. One would even go so far as to say they were dare devils pushing their bodies to the very limit.  I recall a quote from the Paralympic Rugby player, Mandip Sehmi during the Paralympics.  “We push our bodies to the limit, because their already broken!  What more damage could we do to ourselves that has not already been done!  It’s because we’ve faced our worst fears, were fearless!” It’s no wonder Paralympic Rugby was often referred to as “Murder Ball” players making it a point to knock their opponents out of their wheelchairs.  Spectators were left clinging to the edge of their seats, with their jaws fixed firmly to the floor.  A truly heart stopping experience for even the most hardened sports enthusiast.

  This unique technique was not just prevalent in wheelchair rugby; wheelchair fencers faced the same daunting experience.  Fencers would engage in bout after bout of relentless sword fights. Where it would take all their strength not to lunge forward so far they toppled over,  despite their chairs been strapped in.

  I watched in utter shock as the Korean fencer toppled over in his chair after a very heated bout against his French opponent.   As the medics and volunteer helpers rushed to his aid.   He merely brushed them aside, with all his strength got up and sat himself back in chair. Poised and ready to meet his opponent head on.  Roars of cheers and rapturous applause filled the arena from the awe struck spectators.  I couldn’t help but to join in too from my piste, despite a few stern looks from the referees.  That true git and determination to carry on and finish the match, is what makes these remarkable Paralympians superhuman.

  To them this wasn’t just a sport they were participating in, it was their whole life on the line. Showing the world that having a disability is not the end of leading an active life.  Merely the start of living a life with a few adaptions’ and a new prospective. Showing us able bodies people that you will never know your limits, until you push yourself to them!

  Gone were the day’s where we pitied and molly cuddled them into thinking they were incapable of doing even the simplest of tasks. The message was out there loud and clear, these Paralympians were a force to be reckoned with and gave most able bodied people a run for their money.

  A change in our view point was long overdue and what better platform to air these momentous occasion from than the London 2012 Paralympics.  The worlds eyes were on London, anticipation and expectations were high, the nation waited with baited breath.  Our heroic Paralympians rose to the occasion shattering all the critics and doubters negative comments.  Far surpassing their haul of medals gained from the Beijing 2008 Paralympics.

  Wheelchair racer, David Weir and track cyclist Sarah Storey doubled their Gold Medal collection from two in Beijing to four in London 2012.  Beating even the pundit’s predictions.  And who can forget the amazing Ellie Simmonds, just when you thought that’s it she’s run out of steam out of nowhere comes this huge surge of power.  Off she goes like a rocket launching into space, leaving her fellow swimmers lagging behind and smashing her personal best, time after time! Winning a total of four medals, two gold a silver and a bronze.  This fearless swimmer was just 13yrs old when she won two gold medals in Beijing. Now just 19yrs old she holds one of the most impressive medal hauls of any Paralympian of her time. The poster girl of the London 2012 Paralympics had won over the hearts of the nation. Along with her fellow Paralympians she proved “Better Never Stops!”  With the eyes of the world on them and the nation cheering, willing them on nothing was unachievable.

  Having witnessed firsthand the sheer euphoria of David Weir and Ellie’s wins in the Olympic Stadium and the Aquatic Center.  The only thing that came remotely close to this electrifying deafening cheer from the crowds was Super Saturday in the Olympic Park. Where Jess Ennis, Usian Bolt, Mo Farrah and Tom Daley all achieved their lifelong goals winning an impressive haul of medals.

  On “Super Saturday” we were fortunate enough to obtain tickets to watch the hockey on the “smurf turf” as it was known to us hockey fans.  Oh boy was it a scorcher that day, we sat in the stands overlooking the amazing pink pitch.  The atmosphere was brilliant; no one did the Mexican wave with so much enthusiasm as the Brits. Whilst we slowly melted under the sheering heat from the sun.  We prayed for half time so the sprinklers might offer us a slight reprieve with the watering of pitch, we could lean over the stands and simmer down with the cold water spray.

  Once the matches were over we meet-up with some of my fellow Gamesmakers by the BA (British Airways) huge screen.   One of my favorite sportsmen track cyclist Sir Chris Hoy was entertaining the fans.  He certainly looked even better in the flesh than on screen.  Oh those thighs and that cheeky smile were enough to make any girl go weak at the knees!

  Jess Ennis had just won gold in the heptathlon the crowds cheering and applause was electrifying.  Next up was Mo Farrah going up for this second gold medal.  Mo was stood at the start line; suddenly the tension starting to mount up, you could hear a pin drop.  Sitting on the grassed verge under the cool evening sky with 500 other spectators all crowded together daring not to utter a single word. Our eyes were all glued to screen, trying not to blink in case we missed a single second of this momentous occasion.  Suddenly the silence was broken with screams of sheer delight and euphoria, could it be Mo was going to make his dream come true and get that second gold medal.  One by one everyone stood up, we watched in surprise at first wondering why?  Then everyone started jumping up and down, without a moment’s thought we jumped to our feet and joined in too! It was the most surreal experience I’ve ever experienced in my life, it was as if by us jumping up and down and cheering Mo on would literally lift him over that finish line.

  Then to top off an already extraordinary night, came Tom Daley’s dive. It was nail biting to watch, knowing how as a child he dreamt of this very day and even drew a picture of himself diving off the 10m board at the London Olympics.  Needles to say how much it would have meant to him and his family to have his late father in the crowd cheering him on.  Surely this was going to be his night to silence all the critics and doubters, proving to the bullies that taunted him throughout his childhood for his love of diving.  That he would arise above it all and show the world that he was born to achieve greatness and win a medal in-front of the home nations eyes who witnessed him grow up from a boy to a man.  We all saw him fight through the pain and tears of losing his father, mentor and closest confidant.  As sure as the grass is green and the sky is blue, he did not disappoint. The Bronze medal was his.

  Gone was the stiff British reserve, we were a nation united by sport, hugging and kissing random people.  Shouting “did you see that, wow how amazing!”  To think what thousands of sporting fans would give to be in our shoes right now, on the day sporting history was made at the greatest Olympic games the world had ever seen!

  Yet these Paralympian wins personally meant so such more to me as a parent of a daughter with a heart condition.  Who despite having heart surgery to have a pacemaker fitted when she was just 14yrs old. Went on to surpass her teachers and cardiologists expectations, by joining her school Army Cadet Unit (CCF), participating in all the physical activities and camps.  Promoted from NCO to Corporal and winning the leadership shield for mentoring younger cadets.

  During her recovery she made a promise to herself to make every day count and make a real difference to other people’s lives too.  It was in recognition of her selfless nature always putting the needs of others ahead of her own though her charity work.  With the willpower and determination to get through it all.  That two days before Christmas, I got the much anticipated email I had been waiting for from Locog. Confirming she had been selected from hundreds and thousands of applicants to be one of the 8,000 torchbearers to get a once in life time opportunity to carry the Olympic torch and represent her county and all the other heart patients around the world.  It was greatest honour anyone could bestow upon her. Now the world would get the chance to see what I had known from the moment I set eyes on her that she was a truly remarkable human being, who was born to achieve great things in her life and leave a lasting legacy for many generations to come.  It was not until the following March we got the go ahead from Locog to share our secret with all our loved ones and the nation

  The local media and press all wanted to feature her life story to drum up support for the torchbearers and the relay.  She recorded a monologue for BBC Radio Kent;  it had taken until the morning of the torch relay for the realisation of the sheer enormity of this brilliant and unique opportunity to hit us.  The amount of interest and publicity it generated was over whelming, dropping my daughter off at the torchbearers meeting point was the first chance we got a glimpse of what was to come.  They all crowded around her and told her what an honour it was to meet her, they had been following her stories in the press and had just heard her monologue on the radio.  We were astounded at their responses considering they were such inspirational people themselves.  The day continued in the same manner with her leg of the route being 10 men deep with cheering crowds, full of friends, family and people she never meet all waiting to just get a glimpse of her and the Olympic torch.  Team GB spotted the GB flag on her cheek and their scarf on her wrist on the BBC webcam and tweeted their support for her.  With so many of the torchbearers around the county sending in good luck messages we were truly overwhelmed with the response.  The BBC hailed her as Kent’s penultimate torchbearer.  Never in our wildest dreams did we ever think this day would come. The day ended just as it had started with two local mayors of Gravesham and Medway’s staff both arguing who would host my daughter that afternoon at their tea and garden parties.  I decided it was only fair we split our time between both.  At the Mayor of Medway’s Garden party at the Officers Mess in the Brompton Barracks, that afternoon he introduced us to the Queens special envoy the High Sheriff of Kent.  Who told us he had also been following my daughters story in the press and had heard the monologue that morning too.  He wanted to personally attend to meet her in person when he told me it was an honour to meet her, I was lost for words.

  As we sat down for dinner next to a senior head of department for Medway council, he proceeded to tell us how that morning he had been lying in bed thinking it was going to be yet another long day. Until he heard the remarkable story of a young girl whose heart stopped and now had a pacemaker.  She had inspired him to jump out of bed and think how grateful he should be for his life and to make the most of every day just as she had planned to do too.  It must have been our glances and smiles that suddenly gave him the realisation that the very girl was now sitting next to him.  He hugged her and said how honored he was to meet her.  Day 53 of the London 2012 Torchrelay from Maidstone to Guildford will forever be etched into our memories as the most life changing brilliant day of our lives. A day which we always look back upon with such sheer joy, pride and gratitude to Seb Coe and the Locog Torchrelay Team for making it possible for a young girls dream to come true.  Her name is firmly set in Olympic history leaving a lasting legacy for generations to come. The beautifully crafted Olympic Torch with its 8,000 holes representing each and every torchbearer sits in pride of place in my home.  Even today the allure of the Olympic Torch is simply too much for people to bear they all want to torch it, just to get a chance to feel some of that magical Olympic spirit.

  Watching and being part of the Olympic sporting history was a fantastic opportunity made even more special with my daughter’s beside me.  An experience which would often would leave us in floods of tears from pure delight, our enthusiasm and love for sport growing by the day.  With the promise to ourselves that we will continue with our passion and make a real change for better through sport and leading a healthier lifestyle and taking on a new sport.  These superhuman Paralympians for me proved that when it comes to achieving goals and having aspirations, the sky was the limit.  The only thing holding you back is yourself. Fight through those negative thoughts and barriers; surround yourself with creative, passionate people.  The rest will simply fall into place.

  The Olympic and Paralympic legacy continues even today almost two years on, every sports center around the country has seen a huge influx of people wanting to take up new sports.  Our retired Olympic and Paralympic hero’s starting up new sports initiatives and mentoring the next generation of potential team GB sports men and women.  Such as the Dame Kelly Holmes, DKH Legacy Trust and Kelly Holmes Education.  Also David Weir CBE, Weir Acher Academy are a few examples.

  Working as a media officer for the Investec World League Games for the England Ladies Hockey team last summer.  I had the  opportunity to see how important media coverage was in continuing that legacy by bringing these games alive to the many adoring fans around the world.  Interviewing a group of girls who traveled all the way from Wales with their teacher just for the day to see our England Ladies play, I was truly amazed to see their passion and love for the game. They all took up hockey after watching our England women’s team win a Bronze medal at the Olympics.  It was a heart-warming experience to see all their little faces light up when I told them they were going to meet England hockey player, Helen Richardson and have their photo taken with her as a thank you for letting me interview them.  Despite the pouring rain it did not dampen the fans enthusiasm, they cheered on our England women and waited patiently after each match to get their autographs and photos taken with their favorite players.  The England women in turn did not disappoint they played each match with such determination and passion and lived up to the promise they made at the Olympics and that they would beat Argentina one day.  What a truly spectacular game that was too!  This for me was the perfect example of the Olympic legacy working before my very eyes.

  Now we’ve got the chance to see how Russia manages to showcase the Sochi Winter Olympics and Paralympics to the world.  Yet behind all the advertising and promotions for the Winter Games, very few realise now many London 2012 Gamesmakers are also going to be playing a big huge part of those games too.  As volunteers working up the freezing mountains on the ski slopes and in their media offices reporting every second of the games to the world.  Once again the glare of the sporting worlds media will be back on Britain again in the summer for the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games.  No doubt our Team GB sports men and women will be headlining all the tabloids and sports news coverage with their ever increasing haul of medals.

  So for all those critics and cynics who whinged about the amount of money spent on the London 2012 Olympics and Paralympics games and said we would fail.  The enthusiasm after the games will die out and there will not be any legacy.  Seb Coe and the Locog team are dreaming too big and raising our expectations too high.  I say how does it feel to be proven so wrong that the world has hailed “London 2012″ as the best games the it has ever seen. And that legacy continues each and every day around our nation in all our sports centers, schools and now even across the world at Sochi 2014 in Russia today.

  First three photo collages are courtesy of google images