Were You Inspired by the London 2012 Olympics?
30th August 2012
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Are you ever-so slightly hungover from overdosing on the Olympics? Is there now a void in your life that needs to be filled?

Isn't it strange that when we won the Olympic bid to be host city back in 2005 the actual event seemed a lifetime away.

So much has happened since...

The day after London was announced as host for 2012, the city was ravaged by the 7/7 terror attacks, leaving 52 innocent people dead. The euphoric scenes witnessed in Trafalgar Square and around the country were replaced by a sombre, reflective mood and the Olympics seemed further away than ever.

But time moved on and the city and people started to heal. And, in it's own way, the transformation of the derelict land in Stratford helped and almost became a part of that healing process.

There will always be the cynics and the whingers who would revel in any bad news to come out of the whole hosting process. But as the months and years rolled on the venues took shape, got completed ahead of schedule and within budget. What was this strange phenomena that was happening in East London.

And then, before we knew it, the Olympic Torch was carving its way around the UK being met and cheered on by thousands upon thousands of people in every single community that it visited -Lowestoft included.

The Opening Ceremony showed the World what to expect - a colourful, funny and typically British affair.

As a nation we became transfixed by the sport, by the overwhelming support given by so many spectators to all competitors - not just the home team - and we witnessed something that we Brits do so much of - volunteering.

The Gamesmakers can, quite rightly, claim that they made these games. Their tireless enthusiasm, good humour and unwavering helpfulness made them the talk and the toast of London 2012.

The medals seemed slow in coming. Had we built our expectations too high?

And then it happened... Medals of all colours came flying in with a total of six golds won on the middle Saturday. The Gold Rush was on!

For once in my lifetime we Brits had something other than the weather to talk about - we had theOlympics. We were suddenly all experts in whatever sport we were watching. Strangers would talk to each other at bus stops, on trains - barriers and etiquette broken down.

Now it's all over. The Closing Ceremony was the party to end all parties. It was loud, it was bright, it was exciting and it was funny - I'll never forget Eric Idle and 'Always Look on the Bright Side of Life'.

I can't help wondering what other nations must have thought... 'Mad dogs and Englishmen go out in the noon day sun' - perhaps we'd overdosed on the glorious sun that had graced the Games...

What now?

Let's hope that we can find things other than the weather to talk about, that strangers can still strike up a conversation, that we continue to smile, that more people decide to give of their time freely and that we carry on loving sport.

For years I've been meaning to get back into rowing, a sport I fell in love with when I left school. London 2012 inspired me to get back into rowing - I'll be out on Oulton Broad next Sunday evening with the Lowestoft Rowing Club.

What will you do?

There are so many things to try, to get involved with. Do it now, do it today.

London 2012 - Inspiring a Generation.

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About the Author

Wendy Takman and I

Member since: 10th July 2012

Co-owner of thebestof Lowestoft

Really enjoy the challenges that this brings!

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