Just got in after what can only be described as the best sporting day of my life - ainec. Feel very privileged to be there this evening - and very conscious many other blondes would want to be and I was one of the few who got lucky with tickets after much frenetic "refreshing" and late nights earlier in the week. However, I know I am amongst friends here so I thought I'd share a few pieces of the evening.
Firstly - the volunteers, the police and the armed forces - just incredible and are playing a huge part in creating the most wonderful atmosphere....I'm not sure if they've been carefully selected, well trained or just an incredibly positive bunch of people. They all greeted you with a smile, said goodnight when you left and answered any question like it was you helping them - just amazing. Secondly - the organisation, if anyone dares suggest we can't organise an event of this scale again, they are plain mad. The security clearance put BAA to shame - smooth, friendly and thorough; the food was pretty dam good, toilets immaculate and best of all a beer man or woman with a back pack on there whenever I needed one.
What can you say about the stadium and the fans that filled it? Such a feel good factor from the minute I arrived, even after the somewhat poor start when we all thought Dai Greene had failed to make it through. Spirits remained high and when Rutherford leaped out to 8.20m plus the whole stadium lifted - think many of us knew that first jump could win in what has been a poor season of long jumping. At this point, I began to share my bets for the evening with the new friends I had made around me - which gave a little extra excitement altho it really didn't matter. Jessica was immense, i thought the roof was going to come off when she took the lead in the final straight and also thought it couldn't get any better; I love Jess but I was wrong. Greg held, gamble landed and gold number two (I did lose half a point ew on Tomlinson wtf
Enter Mo Farah - don't know how it looked on TV but I sensed he was pretty comfortable throughout the race; as cool, calm and collected as when he smashed the cube. The noise in the stadium was deafening - and as he kicked on with 600m in to go the place went absolutely ballistic. As you'll see from earlier in the thread (no aftertiming) was also the first leg of a double and with Shelly Ann and a treble with Usain - I put Trigg onto it early but doubt he listened. Nice little bonus.
Then the highlight of the evening - as Mo did his lap of honour, the womens 100m was about to start - he has to take cover and dive in a funnel on the 3rd bend, I'm in row 5, two seats from the funnel - he's just stood there, very surreal. He signed autographs, shook hands - then most impressively of all told us all to hush as the 100m was about to start - what a class act, totally selfless. Got a few pics - I was shaking like a leaf but managed to get the words out "great race, congrats Mo" - he smiled and said thanks. Never put a pic up here so don't know how but will dump on facebook.
Shelly Ann duly obliged in the 100m, didn't really care too much by this stage - however a nice little bonus.
An impromptu rendition of "All you need is love" was very cool - due to the fact there was an appeal and Jess's medal ceremony was delayed, made the end to the evening very British before the final medal ceremony, a fitting end with Jess collecting her gold and the whole stadium erupting.
Like I say, very special day, some amazing memories and some inspirational performances - feel blessed to have been fortunate enough to be there...and hate to be sentimental but hope my old man was watching.
I was going to write another report, but Shaun saved me the task so +1 to all this (except I backed Jeter in the 100m grrr)
Must say the singing of All You Need is Love was the highlight for me.
Never seen so many happy people in one place. Even the Police were smiling!
EDIT: Having said all that, it was still a short head behind the cycling. The atmosphere inside the velodrome was like nothing I've ever experienced before.. but mostly because I'm rapidly devolping an unhealthy obsession for Ms Pendleton!
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