Passion, pageant and pride

Shropshire Star Editor Sarah-Jane Smith was in Beijing to witness some of Team GB’s greatest Olympic moments.

As today’s closing ceremony takes place, she reflects on two weeks of passion, pageant and patriotic pride.

Shunyi Olympic Rowing Canoeing Park, August 16: “Will you please stand for the national anthem of Great Britain”…

Thousands rise to their feet. A group of dishevelled Dutchmen, resplendent in vivid tangerine suits made specially for the occasion, immediately halt all drinking and dancing and stand, virtually motionless, with the rest of the multi-national throng.

God Save The Queen blares out accompanied - out of time and tune - by the hundreds of British followers who have trekked to Beijing in support of Team GB.

As the Union Jack is hoisted, there are few dry eyes amongst the British contingent, which includes a pack of media hacks better known for their viperous cynicism than patriotic singing.

Yet all are unashamedly belting out the lyrics. “Great result mate. Not bad for a Pom.” The congratulations were returned later when the Australians stormed to victory over the watery winning line.

It may be dismissed by armchair spectators as nothing more than naive sentimentality, but the impact of witnessing the winning of medals can live forever and Team GB have gone on throughout the Games to offer such moments again and again.

UK Sport, the nation’s high performance sports agency, was tasked with maximising athletic successes.

It set itself the mission of achieving 35 medals and eighth place in the medal table at Beijing, with the “ultimate goal” of fourth place in the Olympics at London 2012.

Those goals are now well and truly smashed. Until this point, the nation had no idea how British elite sport had been transformed - and for the most part it’s all been down to money.

Talent, drive and dedication have always been part of the British sporting psyche but the practicalities such as paying for kit, training facilities and travelling to competitions have all too often shattered many Olympic dreams.

Now the financial investment (UK Sport receives £120 million every year from the Government and National Lottery) is paying off and Beijing’s medal successes are bound to attract the attention of Britain’s heavyweight corporate sponsors who must surely spot the benefits such dedicated, victorious athletes could bring to their brands.

Already the stark differences in income and lifestyle are being drawn between Britain’s Olympic heroes and their footballing counterparts, who appear spoilt, over-indulged underachievers in comparison.

Chairman of UK Sport, Sue Campbell, has described Beijing as a “critical staging post” on the sporting route to London 2012 but stressed the agency could not achieve its targets alone, adding: “Partnership is the real key to our success.”

Crucial

One already-committed partner is Camelot. The organisers of the National Lottery know better than anybody that a large injection of money - handled correctly - can make dreams come true.

It is already playing a crucial role in British sport, throwing its might behind the British rowing squad by sponsoring the two lead British crews, the men’s four and women’s quad.

However, its involvement at this level is about considerably more than just dishing out the dosh.

Camelot chief executive Dianne Thompson, ever the consummate professional in business, obviously adores her rowing athletes and has become so involved in their lives, they in turn treat her as a close family member, eager to share all their highs and lows.

Not every sponsor could bank on such a special relationship, which takes time and effort to create.

But London 2012 is in a different league. Almost £2.2 billion of lottery funding will go towards the Olympic package of which £750 million will come from sales of specially designated games and so far more than £300 million has already been raised.

So, with the investment of such big bucks, how will London 2012 itself match up against Beijing 2008?

Before the games China held an appalling reputation for its human and animal rights. That reputation has not diminished.

But no visitor to the Chinese capital could deny that Beijing 2008 as an event has been a huge success, from spotless streets, stunning stadia and luxurious hotels, to the Olympic-traffic-only lanes on many highways and handing out of free waterproof ponchos at outdoor events.

Stories abounded of Chinese crowds being bussed in to fill half-empty stadia, while only vehicles with even registration numbers were allowed on city roads one day, alternating with odd the next in an effort to keep pollution and congestion to a minimum.

The thousands of volunteer helpers were even taught how to smile and shake hands as the Chinese applied their ruthless logic, which left nothing to chance as they came under scrutiny in full glare of the global spotlight.

London obviously has a considerable amount of work to do throughout the next four years but our athletes have already moved us a giant step forward.

So if anyone offers a seat on a bus bound for an Olympic stadium, don’t reject it because you may get the privilege to witness sporting history being made and - hopefully - seeing Britain at its best.

Back in Beijing, sharing the back seat of a coach with three charming Chinese girls, one turned and asked if I was enjoying my stay in China. The conversation inevitably moved on to shoes and shopping, but where had she learned such excellent English?

“I studied in England for five years at a place called Newport in Shropshire,” replied the delightful Jade Chen. “Will you ever have heard of it?”

Er, yes. I live there, actually.

Jade studied at Harper Adams agricultural college and is now business development co-ordinator for Ove Arup & Partners.

Through the Shropshire Star, she would like to wish all her English friends happiness and is very pleased we have done so well in the Olympics.

By Sarah-Jane Smith