More than 1 billion television viewers are reported to have watched the opening ceremony of the 2010 Olympic Games in London last night. A crowd of 80 000, including 120 world leaders, attended the ceremony.
Sports Minister Fikile Mbalula represented President Jacob Zuma who has been attending the ANC Lekgotla in Pretoria. Team South Africa will be involved in seven different sporting codes including swimming today.
It will be the first real chance for a medal for both Chad le Clos and Cameron van der Burgh who will be in action.
Team SA swimmer Karin Prinsloo confirms that everyone in camp gets along so well, “l think because we have been touring for about two months together we really know each other now, we are really supporters of one another.”
British newspapers proudly hailed a spectacular opening ceremony to the 2012 London Olympics
It was further reported that approximately 20 000 volunteers will be part of the spectacle that has cost an estimated R350 million. Team South Africa has been hard at work training this week, many of them at the main competition venues.
Meanwhile, British newspapers proudly hailed a spectacular opening ceremony to the 2012 London Olympics, with the Times leading the way today by calling it ‘The Greatest Show’.
‘London Sets The World Alight’, said the Independent after seven teenage athletes were last night given the honour of lighting the Olympic cauldron that will burn for the duration of the Games.
The Guardian described it as a ‘Night Of Wonder’ on their front page while the Daily Telegraph’s banner headline was ‘Going For Gold’. Britain’s Queen Elizabeth declared the Games open after playing a cameo role in a dizzying ceremony designed to highlight the grandeur and eccentricities of the nation that invented modern sport. – Additional reporting by Reuters
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