The Torch is lit and the Games begin!

Here’s a bt of a “funny” story – not funny haha but funny strange.

In the evening of 08-08-08 I was having a discussion (bet) with a friend as to how the Beijing Olympic Torch will be lit. In my mind is still fresh the image of archer who shot the burning arrow into the cauldron at the Barcelona Olympics in 1992. To be honest, I cannot remember the lighting of the Olympic Cauldron from the last 2 Olympics.

Anyway I said that maybe since it is China and since we all know how kungfu masters in Chinese movies can “fly”, maybe someone will “fly” up and light the torch. We both laughed at that and went home to watch the Opening Ceremony.

So imagine my surprise and delight when Li Ning rose up into the sky and “ran around the stadium roof” and eventually lit the Olympic Torch in the air! The first thing I did was pick up my phone and text this message

“I was right! They flew up to light the torch!”

And for me, this display of the lighting of the torch at the Beijing Olympics sits right up there with Barcelona as one of the most memorable ever. Barcelona edges it just a little for the “wow factor” as my sis calls it but this is still pretty impressive nonetheless.

The rest of the opening was humdrum for me. Then again, most Chinese classical anything is humdrum for me! I was impressed however with the fact that there were so many PEOPLE involved! Then again, this is China – people are no object.

I also noticed one interesting characteristic:-

Smaller countries who came out into the stadium (Malaysia included) were either marching along seriously or walking with serious determination. You could see it on their faces. Contrast that with the sporting power houses – Australia, USA, Great Britain… and their atheletes looked like they were having fun, horsing around and having a good time. Perhaps the smaller countries are overwhelmed by the crowd, or perhaps they feel the pressure of competing… but don’t they all?

I have no comment about Malaysia’s hopes and the contingent uniform except to say that burnt orange does not suit everyone and especially not the dusky skinned!! They should have stuck to the white outfits they wore at the last games with the coloured stripes. The team ended up looking merely dull which I hope is not a reflection of our performance in these games!