Sunday, September 09, 2012

Games Maker's Thank You to LOCOG for a great London 2012!

Thank you to LOCOG for granting me the privilege to volunteer during London2012, and thank you to everyone appreciating Games Makers, including Eddie Izzard:





Difficult to describe what an incredible experience Games Making at London 2012 has been, from working alongside highly organised, efficient, and importantly, great fun colleagues at the O2 Arena dubbed North Geenwich Arena hosting gymnastics, trampoline and the later stages of the basketball, to watching awesome athletes, and 'washing' in the enthusiasm of the spectators, it was truly memorable. Here are some of my pictures:


Soldiers at the Venue-specific training Sunday 22 July 212

Amazing Technology PRD colleagues at North Greenwich Arena


Gymnastics in North Greenwich Arena



Brave soldiers helping to keep London 2012 safe at North Greenwich Arena/O2
North Greenwich Peninsula's Emirates Cable Car looking like a scene from Thunderbirds!

View of the O2 Arena from Emirates Cable Car

Spectators include Team GB gymnasts at North Greenwich Arena

BT London Live in Hyde Park 

Basketball North Greenwich Arena

Games Maker Dining Room wall display North Greenwich Arena

Skyline leaving Games Making shift, North Greenwich Arena

Wenlock!


Tower Bridge during London 2012

Victory Ceremony finals of Men's Basketball: US Gold; Spain Silver & Russia Bronze
Of the many Games Making highlights at the North Greenwich Arena, seeing the formidable Arnold Schwarzenegger (in the Olympic Family Lounge with Boris Johnson), the 'Terminator who fought the Predator' at the Men's basketball final, US vs Spain, was great! [No pictures taken of him, on Games Making duty!]


BT London Live in Trafalgar Square - Paralympics 2012
Agitos - National Gallery




Was lucky enough to get tickets for the Paralympics swimming and athletics; humbled by the Paralympians and what they achieved, inspirational! Also very special were lovely spectators in the Olympic stadium - bumping into them at Tower Bridge a few days later was fluky :)




Swimming - Aquatics, Paralympics 2012



Independent article on greatest Paralympian, Oscar Pistorius

Olympic Stadium
Athletics inside Olympic Stadium for Paralympics


Short video clip of atmosphere in the stadium


After-sports entertainment: Mariachis in the Olympic Park







Lastly, one of my best moments in the Olympic stadium, and one my favourite non-Team GB paralympian athletes, was the blind Chinese Triple Jumper Li Duan who urged us spectating in the stadium to silence before entertaining us with his 'tracksuit strip' prior to his triple jump, he earned a silver medal :) See it on Youtube here:





Read more about Lin Duan's athleticism here.


Facebook pages for Games Makers to keep in touch:




Games Maker event 27 July 2013 Games Makers One Year On

Going to Rio 2016 blog by Games Maker Ian Kershaw: http://goingtorio.co.uk/


Addendum: received 'thank you' letter from PM David Cameron for volunteering as a Games Maker at London 2012 :)