A Few Ramblings…
Forty-six year old Christian happily negotiating the world with a wife and three daughters
The day the Olympic Torch Relay came to Maidenhead – 10th July 2012
The signs had been up for weeks and today, after months of waiting and seeing the torch relay on the television, it was finally Maidenhead’s turn to host the Olympic Torch Relay.
The relay was due to pass our house and over recent days we’ve seen dozens of street sweepers drive by outside our house as the council tried to ensure that every part of the route was looking spotless – seemingly forgetful of the fact that the pavements and roads would be lost beneath hundreds of feet!
Impending road closure
I had the day off work and we took the two older girls to school – both of whom would be watching the torch go by with their respective schools later on.
Holly feeling patriotic
Emily getting into the excitement
Like Jon, I was in two minds where to go to see the flame go by. Get the decision wrong and I’d end up possibly missing out on some photos. I toyed with the idea of watching it in town but decided in the end to view the passing from more or less outside our house. Mum came over too and was able to watch it with us, which was nice.
Judging by the tweets, most people locally had opted to view the torch in the town centre where barriers had been set out to control the crowds.
Many schools had either been given time off or had been taken to allotted places along the route. Today was a moment for all ages to enjoy.
Eventually word came through the torch had arrived in Maidenhead and was now literally just up the road.
We were in position around half an hour before the torch was due to arrive. Amazingly, despite the signs, the road still appeared to be open and a car transporter had an embarrassing time after realising that his vehicle was slightly too tall to pass under the bridge. He had to reverse back up the hill – in front of a few hundred people!
A car transporter driver discovers that his load is too tall for the bridge
Crowds lining the road
Ahead of the torch, numerous vehicles drove past, including a large number of police.
Four police vans
In typical English style, with just a few minutes until the torch was due to arrive, it began to rain!
The masses reach for umbrellas
Police outriders checking the route
Local schoolchildren holding Samsung ‘clappers’
Torch Relay coach
Six minutes to go!
Ahead of the torch itself were a number of ‘sponsor’ vehicles, all plying their wares to the crowd.
Samsung lorry squeezes under the bridge
Coca Cola lorry arrives, laden with free bottles
The converted Lloyds TSB coach approaches
One of the police outriders with an Olympic mascot
Thames Valley Police were on relaxed form ‘high-fiving’ the crowds
Eventually the torch appeared in view, carried high by twelve-year-old Rebecca Scott.
First glimpse of the torch
Flanked by the Torch Security Team, Rebecca Scott holds the torch aloft
Rebecca jogging down the road
A moment for all who saw it to cherish
The Olympic flame burns in the light rain
The Olympic Torch disappears down the road
After a few seconds, it had passed by and was away down the road, only to be handed on for the next runner to perform their brief moment in the limelight.
A few minutes after passing our house, the flame would reach the crowds lining the High Street.
In many ways the Olympic torch relay is a metaphor for the Olympic Games themselves. We’ve known that they were coming to London since 2005 and the build-up has been huge. In just over a month’s time, the games themselves will be over. They, like the Olympic flame before them, will have moved on to Rio and be nothing but a memory.
The torch relay consists of 8000 runners taking part over 70 days. Each of them must have been looking forward to their own ‘run’ for weeks and in many ways, their excitement must have been greater than for all those looking on.
We saw just one of those 8000 people, but for those of us who saw it, the photos and memories of the day the Olympic Torch came to Maidenhead will be something we can share in years to come with our children and grandchildren and say simply ‘I was there’.
Don’t miss my friend Andrew Burdett‘s excellent blog and video of the Olympic Torch in Maidenhead.
Roger Federer defeats Andy Murray to win his 7th Wimbledon title – 8th July 2012
Despite putting his heart and soul into the battle, Andy Murray fell at the final hurdle as he lost his first Wimbledon final in four sets to Roger Federer, who sealed his seventh title 4-6 7-5 6-3 6-4.
Afterwards a tearful Murray paid tribute to his family and fans as he gave a heartfelt speech, summing up the match and his performance.
Here’s how Twitter reacted to the loss:
https://twitter.com/laurarobson5/status/222017054285369344
Wildcard pairing of Jonathan Marray and Frederik Nielsen win the Men’s Doubles title – 7th July 2012
Jonathan Marray became the first British player in 76 years to win a Men’s Doubles title at Wimbledon after sealing victory with his playing partner Frederik Nielsen of Denmark. The duo defeated fifth seeds Robert Lindstedt and Horia Tecau 4-6 6-4 7-6 6-7 6-3 in the final.
The pair have only played three tournaments together before Wimbledon and had to request a wildcard entry for the tournament.
Here’s how Twitter reacted:
http://twitter.com/laurarobson5/statuses/221698058528890880
Andy Murray reaches the Wimbledon Final – 6th July 2012
This evening, Andy Murray became the first British man through to a Wimbledon final since Bunny Austin in 1938, winning through 6-3, 6-4, 3-6, 7-5 against Jo-Wilfried Tsonga. He’ll play Roger Federer in Sunday’s final, after Federer beat Novak Djokovic 6-3 3-6 6-4 6-3.
Here’s how Twitter reacted:
http://twitter.com/pauldeans/statuses/221300916735836160
A Few Ramblings... 