A quite extraordinary opening extravaganza last night. They managed to squeeze everything in there without erring into kitsch. Wacky, yes – kitsch – no.
It was good that the whole thing had a theatrical basis, rather than the military basis of Beijing.
The highlights for me were Mike Oldfield (I am old after all), Tim Berners Lee and Jacques Rogge. In his speech, the Olympic big wig said:
In a sense, the Olympic Games are coming home tonight. This great, sports-loving country is widely recognized as the birthplace of modern sport. It was here that the concepts of sportsmanship and fair play were first codified into clear rules and regulations. It was here that sport was included as an educational tool in the school curriculum.
The British approach to sport had a profound influence on Pierre de Coubertin, our founder, as he developed the framework for the modern Olympic Movement at the close of the 19th century. The values that inspired de Coubertin will come to life over the next 17 days as the world’s best athletes comepte in a spirit of friendship, respect and fair play.
I thought it was a touching, powerful tribute to the UK, which acted as a superb antidote to the pomposity of Seb Coe.
Update: I should add that the top breataking moment of the ceremony was when Thomas Heatherwick’s cauldron came together. It really was/is an inspired work of genius.
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