China unveiled an extravagant farewell to the Olympics yesterday and David Beckham, the world’s most famous soccer player, said hello by kicking a ball to start the countdown to London 2012.
The appearance of Beckham on top of a red double-decker bus that unfolded into a hedge-clipped silhouette of London sent 91,000 fans into a frenzy in the futuristic Bird’s Nest stadium.
A grinning Beckham kicked the ball off the top of the bus into the hands of a delighted Games volunteer.
PHOTO: AFP
The London segment was woven into a spectacular closing ceremony that wrapped up a US$43 billion Games designed to showcase China’s might, modernity and sporting prowess.
A ring of fireworks exploded round the rim of the stadium. Two giant drums were hoisted into the sky with two pairs of suspended drummers thumping out a hypnotic beat.
The stadium was turned into a kaleidoscope of glittering colors with 200 acrobats taking giant leaps and somersaulting across a stage on spring-heeled stilts.
PHOTO: EPA
Launching a huge party to wrap up the greatest sporting show on earth, thousands of athletes poured in from all four corners of the stadium, blowing kisses and waving flags.
The towering figure of Chinese basketball player Yao Ming (姚明) was seen grinning from ear to ear.
Beckham, brought up in east London, hailed Beijing’s success but said before the ceremony: “I’m sure we will be better than them, without a doubt.”
PHOTO: AFP
Britain’s eight-minute chance to tell the world what the London Games would offer the world in 2012 featured guitarist Jimmy Page, who launched into the riff from Whole Lotta Love.
He was joined in the Led Zeppelin classic by TV talent show winner and chart-topping singer Leona Lewis.
Queen Elizabeth also sanctioned a choral version of God Save The Queen backed by lush string arrangements.
London Mayor Boris Johnson, his normally disheveled white hair carefully coiffed for the occasion, took over the Olympic Flag and waved it proudly, especially after Britain’s best gold medal performance for a century.
“This is a short, sharp shock that fires the starting gun for London,” said organizer Martin Green, who rehearsed the British show for two weeks at a private airfield outside Beijing.
International Olympic Committee (IOC) president Jacques Rogge closed the Games according to IOC tradition and then invited “the youth of the world to assemble four years from now in London to celebrate the Games of the 30th Olympiad.”
“These were truly exceptional Games,” was Rogge’s final verdict, dropping the tradition of his predecessor, Juan Antonio Samarach, to refer to them as “the best Games ever,” when applicable.
The formal act came halfway through a glittering party attended by Chinese President Hu Jintao (胡錦濤) and other dignitaries that featured drummers with giant instruments suspended from the sky and hundreds of actors.
“Thank you to the people of China, to all the wonderful volunteers and to BOCOG!” Rogge said in his speech.
Rogge spoke at “the end of 16 [sic] glorious days which we will cherish forever,” praising “these dazzling venues” such as the “Bird’s Nest” and the “Water Cube.”
The closing ceremony started with fireworks and the Chinese anthem with Hu singing along.
The final victory ceremony, for marathon winner Samuel Wanjiru of Kenya, was embedded in the ceremony at the Bird’s Nest stadium amid the athletes of the world who had entered the stadium minutes earlier in a loose formation.
Around a dozen of the army of volunteers received flowers from new IOC athletes’ representatives Moon Dae-sung, Alexander Popov and Claudia Bokel.
More than 11,000 athletes from 204 countries competed at the Aug. 8 to Aug. 24 Games.
“To the athletes tonight: You were true role models. You have shown us the unifying power of sport. The Olympic spirit lives in the warm embrace of competitive rivals from nations in conflict. Keep that spirit alive when you return home,” Rogge said.
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