- 8 Aug 08, 12:52 PM
While 90,000 people prepared to cram themsleves into the Birds' Nest to celebrate the opening of the 29th Olympiad, things were decidedly more low key back at Team GB's holding camp.
In fact, there was little sign of any ceremony at all, save for a sizeable chocolate cake especially prepared for the competitors still here, (namely the track and field squad and a handful of the judo team) emblazoned with the Olympic rings that have been expertly iced on top.
How suitable cake is for those about to grace the greatest sporting event on earth is a moot point.
Suffice to say, I'm hoping they'll be little take-up so I can indulge myself, having finally conceeded defeat as regards my chances of making the team.
Missing the ceremony is nothing new to those who will soon take centre stage in Beijing's iconic stadium; the scheduling means they arrive well after the welcome party is over.
But having ear-wigged the odd conversation while lying in wait to nab yet another interview, I'm left with the impression that while it would be great to taste such a unique atmosphere, not many of the athletes will be losing too much sleep over missing out.
The serious business is the competing and hopefully, the winning.
Talking of Judo, I bumped into Kate Howey this afternoon, Britain's finest ever female exponent and acting as a Mentor to 29-year-old Karina Bryant, who's about to compete in her third Games and hoping to win her first medal.
Not that the retired Howey, now 35, who made the rostrum at both Barcelona and Sydney wouldn't secretly still rather be out on the mat in the heat of battle, than simply passing on her considerable wisdom.
"I took a look at the draw and felt I could still beat any of them," she tells me and she doesn't appear to be joking. I for one won't be arguing with her.
Its not just Bryant for whom Howey has high hopes. "All seven of the team could win a medal. I know I'll shed some tears if Karina does it. I've known her since she was 12.
"She's one of the best in the world and in the best shape of her life so she should do well."
Lets hope Craig Fallon gets us off to a flying start tomorrow. The good news is he missed the cake.
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Comments
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I would be really enjoying the opening ceremony at the Beijing Olympics if it wasn't for the inane comments from Hugh and Co. The Chinese have spent years and a shed load of money, effort etc in this performance which should and can stand on its own.
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Please turn off the mindless commentary and let the fabulous ceremony speak for itself!!
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I am in Agreement that yes China has its political and enviromental problems.
But But But !!!
Please no more comments about the enviroment.
Typical .
Lets think negative......
Lets enjoy the positive.....
The Games are for the Athletes.
A New Hope For China to proove that they really can change.
Lets not forget that the athletes have trained and trained for this.
Britain should never forget that we too had very badly polluted cities.Smog,polluted rivers etc.
Blak to the pot I say....
Enjoy the sporting spectical..Thoe Olympic games
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The commentators should learn to stop talking there constant inane prattle totally ruined the opening ceremony particularly with regard to the piece with Lang Lang when they never stopped talking.
Also being told what to look out for takes away the element of surprise
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I couldn't agree more, Hawkridge!
And digitalwoodlog and others who don't like the commentary: I agree! If you have a digital TV, you can press the red button to turn off the commentary - I did and found the ceremony most relaxing.
I've turned the commentary back on while the atheletes tromp through the stadium, because here is where you can find out interesting facts that the pictures alone wouldn't tell you.
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I fully agree with all of the above comments. The beeb has been banging on for weeks if not months about the political aspects of holding the games in China. There has been comments on the news today that we are now moving into the games proper and it is now the moment for the athletes to be heard.
Not so, as the procession of the participating State's proud athletes make their way into the stadium the tedious commentary team feel the need to point out for certain countries the importance of their relationship with China as they will be pillaging their precious resources in the future!!
Do us all a favour and send the News commentators back to Blighty and let Sue Barker and the other professional sports commentators get on with their jobs.
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Okay, we all expect the commentary to be utterly inane, a bit like trying to watch a movie with a simpleton. But whoever the main female commentator was, her relentless negativity was simply jaw-dropping. It was so good cop/bad cop at times that it was almost comical. For example, when Huw opined (I quote from memory), "these massive set pieces really are the ceremony's strongest suit, and they're getting more and more impressive."
The reply? "Yes, but I'm just sitting here thinking too that despite it being called the green games, it really is so controversial."
She then rattled on about the air quality, water quality and God knows what else for the duration of the aforementioned incredible set piece, wrapping up with, "so that really is the blot on the thirty years of economic reform."
Was she given an explicit brief to be a miserable sod throughout? Because that's how it came across. Utterly classless, and frankly somewhat embarrassing.
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I couldn't agree more- of course there are major problems with China's Human Rights record but are we to expect BBC reporters at the 2012 opening ceremony remind us of the UK's colonial record or our history of sending children down the pits or up chimneys or our involvement in slavery or the fire bombing of Dresden etc, etc.
This was a magnificent ceremony and of course I hope that the involvement in the Olympics leads to improvements in China but social commentary is more appropriate for Panorama
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The ceremony was fantastic, the BBC commentary awful. I switched to Eurosport where the commentators were fantastically respectful and more importantly did not feel the need to continuously gabber on to justify their wages.
They restricted their comments to a few notes probably read from the event program to highlight the meaning of what was being seen and some well earnt praise at the end of particularly impressive segments.
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The opening ceremony of the olympic games in china today did not only entertain but has also challenged the leading technological states of the world. I am particularly happy that China is capable of something good! Ekwealor chinedu Thomas
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"Gabby Logan presents all the highlights from the opening ceremony" said the programme description in the Radio Times for the 7pm highlights show. Highlights? They hardly showed anything of the actual event! Half the 1hr programme was pre-recorded VT! Very very poor show BBC, many people were not lucky enough to see the event live, and this programme was a complete waste of time. As a loyal BBC viewer, I'm sad to say that it's not a good start to the 3 weeks ahead. I think Eurosport will be my channel of choice if tonights efforts are a sign of things to come...
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#7 Dead Badger, the correspondent's name is Carrie Gracie.
Hazel Irvine was the best of the 3 presenters for opening ceremony. Should have been joined for commentary by an Olympian - sporting event, keep politics out of it. Some of Hazel's jokes were a bit lame. However, she was informative about the national teams and positive, which is more than can be said for Huw and Carrie.
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What a hughly dissapointing programme for the highlights.
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In support of the above! For the reasons above!
The single most mean spirited, ill informed and blatently biased commentary I've ever heard? Carrie Gracie's contribution to this global event was truly awful. I very much want to watch the sport but not at the expense of having to listen to this drivel......please BBC, do your job.
It was entirely inappropriate to the occasion. I would'nt be happy with Alan Hansen detailing some global crisis on Newsnight either!
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I am a common Chinese student who currently studies in the UK. It has been a little bit sad to watch one of the biggest ceremonies in my country while I am here (especially I have to hear all the negative comments from that lady reporter) until I read all yours comment on the opening ceremony (and about that lady report of course).
You are amazingly tolerant and understanding and you did actually cheer me up!
Nobody dare to deny that there are problems in the country, but if you take its size and population in consideration you may find out something is unavoidable—at least temporarily.
Everything will be better tomorrow! Every good thing takes time! Like you said Roma is not build in one day.
I don’t want to talk too much about that lady`s comment and logical problems but I do have to say that we put tremendous effort to try to give the whole world a beautiful moment, a moment without boundaries and races, just everybody stand together to celebrate our humidity. Don’t you feel it is somehow impolite to ignore all the host’s good willings but just repeatedly remind guests that the host is potentially a murder in future?
If you put a little attention into Chinese history in the recent 150 years you will find out, the culture revolution was not a big deal, what happened before that is devastated.
All the country in western world had invaded china before! But history is history, we are now happily to look forward to have a better future, with all you people, we can have a better world. Just put more faith on us! We are not evil!
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I too found the commentary really annoying but for slightly different reasons to those mentioned above.
There was a lot of "Well we saw the rehearsals and this is what happens next and this is what you should look out for", from Huw. It spoilt the whole surprise and suspense of watching what was a really spectacular show.
It's like watching a film with someone telling you over your shoulder what happens next because they're soooo proud to have seen a preview and you haven't. It's not clever.
Brilliant show though, well done to all involved.
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Well...missing the opening ceremony will be a big deal for the Fans/Spectators. For the athletes - they all have to be there. Personally, I love watching the opening ceremony because each year it is fresh and different. However, this years Beijing Olympics - China has done several malevolent things in order to accomplish their successful hosting - including displacing 1.5 million Chinese, not allowing people with STD's/AIDS in, etc.
The opening cermony does like interesting and I am excited to watch it. Check out my sports blog at:
http://www.talkaboutsport.blogspot.com
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Without a doubt having two news journalists in the event utterly ruined the commentary - Carrie is a talented journalist and her piece on BBC news earlier this week on orphanages was touching in the extreme.
However neither her nor Huw were even vaguely qualified nor talented enough to the event - they wittered on and above each of the pieces, drawing it back to Politics. Hazel tried to lighten the mood (as she has done at the last two Games), but her jokes fell flat as Barry Davies normally bounced of them when he was the main commentator.
Please BBC, change things for the Closing Ceremony.
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Awful, awful, awful BBC commentary. Why do these people feel that they have to be so controversial and negative?
Too many voices as well - much better to leave it to just 2 people who DESCRIBE THE ACTION. But these days the BBC seem hell bent on having people who all want to be the expert and outdo each other.
Eurosports coverage was so much better and professional and just told us what we wanted to hear.
Rest assured it will get worse when the athletics begin because for sure we will have Sue Barker continually interviewing Michael Johnson, Colin Jackson, Jonathan Edwards, David Moorcroft and everyone else the BBC can drag in, while down below on the track the action will be under way. They will break off their boring chat only when a British competitor appears and then it will resume all over again!!
Finally how can the BBC justify having so many people in China contributing blogs?
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well some countries have been polluting the environment for decades~~ and leave the beautiful gray sky for the left of the world! no u are judging the environment in China.
Anyway ur country has bought the broadcast rights. BBC is not too stupid or is it .
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The ceremony was magnificent - and the commentary was dire!
It really wasn't helpful to have little clues as to what happens next dropped in all the time; and the banal chuntering throughout by the commentators was truly dreadful.
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Fantastic ceremony somewhat ruined by the
commentary.
Huw was obsessed by numbers and mindless conversation on the construction. Has he no soul?. I did observe the colours and movement without his guidance.
Carrie kept talking about HER knowledge of paintings throughout some very poignant singing. She was so patronising and irritating.
Hazel was ok with the odd quip.
Had this happened at the cinema I would asked for them to be thrown out. Normally I like Huw but he should stick to the news.
They just did not stop rambling at all apart from brief moments during the fireworks.
Perhaps the BBC could repeat the ceremony dubbing the commentary and keeping the very impressive music.
I would buy the BBC DVD.
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The opening ceremony was beautiful and agree that the commentary was sub-par to put it mildly.
China's 'darker recent history' such as the Cultural Revolution was reitirated a number of times.
Personally, as a Chinese, my recent examples of China's darkest and most painful past is not the Cultural Revolution BUT the Opium War, the creation of the Foreign Settlement and the Rape of Nanking.
If Huw Edwards is to mix sports and politics, please ask him to do some real research rather than to refer to trendy statements that he does not fully understand.
There were some hilarious inaccuracies during the march by, such as Lee Kuan Yew being Malaysia's previous 'authoritarian' leader.
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Four hours to light the gas and snip the packet open. Hope the rest of the dishes are served up a bit more pronto.
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A magnificent show ruined by the BBC commentators with their Woganesq dig bringing politics and hurtful remarks.
I believe this is the work of the UK government. Relations was soured after China vetoed UK sanction against Zimbabwe at the UN Security Council and since then Gordon Brown behaved like a baby throwing all his toys out of the pram.
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I think it's a little unfair to slate the commentators for providing a political viewpoint on what is essentially a gigantic exposition of Chinese culture. The opening ceremony, like the entire 2008 Olympics, is meant to be a demonstration of China's economic and social might - it is there to impress the rest of the world. It was, to be fair, very impressive. But this does not take away from the fact that one of the conditions of being awarded the Olympics was that the Chinese government would take significant steps to improve its human rights record. This has simply not happened. It seems, therefore, that it would be hasty to put our wholehearted trust in this supposed 'reaching out' by a government that has dramatically failed to keep its promises. There is no separating politics and the Beijing Olympics.
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When i look back at the olympic games with years to come i will not think about the opening cermony. I will just forget it after the athletes have performed in the olympics.
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I have never been so annoyed in my life!!! who on earth was the woman who kept up the negative commentary all through the historic introduction it was like constantly getting a bucket of cold water thrown over me.
This woman had the gall to sound like she was educated when by all accounts she couldn't even think about the occassion in front of her. This woman should be pulled to one side and spoken to severely. I first saw parts of this chinese start to the games without the commentary and then had the opportunity to see it in full. How I wish they could have blanked out this woman's voice. Her negativity dominated the entire event like a horrifically bad stench.
The fact that she felt china have only just moved into the modern times shows her ignorance. Her commentary ruined the whole thing for me, the ignorance of these commentators is bad enough but this twit and I am ashamed to say who is a woman too, absolutely ruined things. What a disgrace! My respect for for the BBC went up at first for the live coverage but if this is the quality of their presenter then they really need to sort it out.
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