And Finally....The Afterparty

Today for the first and only time we were both in the Olympic Village at the same time! The "Village People" had their party and the sun shone on all of us. After a long queue to get in - showing our accreditation for the very last time - we were entertained by a lively group of singers encouraging us all to join in with uplifting songs such as YMCA, not that much encouragement was needed! The thank you speeches were short and said from the heart from the CEO of LOCOG, the Village Manager and the Workforce Team Manager. We were once again made to feel proud of our small individual contributions to a great team achievement. They have estimated from our phone pedometeres that we have on average walked 15 miles each day!

Singing along to YMCA

 

The NOC/NPC Village People

Lunch was held in the Athletes Dining Room, one of the few locations we were not allowed to enter during the games (although Rob managed it once!) and for the first time alcohol was available. The icing on the cake was the raffle ticket which won Nicola the one thing she (and most Gamesmakers) had wanted all along - An Olympic Quilt. Traditionally, athletes are allowed to take their quilts home, but many give them to the volunteers as gifts. But we were all informed, almost constantly, this was not permitted, so they became the most prized memorabilia of the Games.

Gamesmakers together in the Village 

                                                            The Prized Olympic Quilt

As this is the last entry to the Blog, can we thank those who have followed us all the way from the middle of July, along with those who have dipped in and out of our increbible "Once in a Lifetime" journey. There have been over 1600 viewers to the blog, over 30 each day from all around the world. We hope you have enjoyed seeing a very different and personal view of the Greatest Games ever. Right now we can't wait to enrol to do it all again in Rio in four years time!!

Our Greatest Team Parade

 

On Monday 10th, the British Olympic and Paralympic Teams paraded through London on 21 floats accompanied by two bands. The Parade started at the Mansion House in the City of London and finished in the Mall outside Buckingham Palace with a few speeches with many thousands of people lining the route. Nicola was lucky enough to get a ticket in the Games Maker ballot along with other volunteers from the London Ambassadors and performers from the ceremonies.  She had a prime spot standing with some Games Makers colleagues in the Mall by Admiralty Arch.  Rob then joined her after his Paralympic duties finished to watch the big screens in Trafalgar Square where there was definitely a carnival atmosphere with so many Games Makers celebrating the success of the Games.  Boris Johnson, Mayor of London got the biggest cheer for his rousing speech and all in all it was a fabulous way to end our Olympic Experience which started over 7 weeks ago!

The last day and a Medal in The Mall

I beat Nicola to The Mall.....Yesterday our final medal chance came in the T 12 Marathon. Elkin Moreno, our partially sighted athlete and his guide German Jaramillo came home with the silver in a time 5 minutes inside his personal best. It was an amazing experience to be able to access the controlled race area in The Mall with the small support team and to wait with them for the medal ceremony. Then to our surprise and delight we were allowed onto the special viewing platform opposite the flagpoles and only yards from the ceremony. Then we began the race through the London traffic, first to Consulate for the press conference and the call from the President and then back to the Village with a silver medal in my rear view mirror and Elkin and Juan giving live interviews to Colombian radio stations from the car.

The Medal Winning Team: Athelete, Coach and Guide after the race

Elkin doing a TV Interview outside the Consulate 

We said goodbye to the athletes as we led them to the Olympic Park for the closing ceremony. The Village will no doubt feel empty today as we go about our wrap up duties as many athletes left during the night straight from the many parties that followed the closing ceremony.

                                          The Colombians ready for the closing ceremony

The Cycling Continues

The last few days have seen further trips to Brands Hatch in support of the Road Cycling Team. No medals for the team but some great performances up at the front end for all the races, including a nail biting finish to the C1-3 Road Race. I was privileged to see Sarah Storey storm to victory on Thursday afternoon and have a great view of the medal ceremony from the pits. Those of you who know me well will not be surprised that I ended up getting an article about Nicola and I in the daily Gamesmaker newsletter.









Sarah Storey way out in front

 

 

Medal Ceremony for Sarah Storey







                                                        
                                                     

In the Colombian Pit Garage ahead of the race

Up the hill and round the bend

 

From today preparations begin for supporting the closing ceremony on Sunday and the athlete’s departure on Monday. Look out for the pictures from the Athlete’s Parade on Monday through London, deservedly, Nicola will be one of the Gamesmakers in The Mall.  

The First Colombian Medal!

Last night in the Aquatic Centre, Moises Fuentes Garcia brought home the first team medal, a Silver in the 100m Breaststroke SB4. After waiting out the other medal chances in the Athletics Stadium, a convoy of cars set off at 10.00pm for the Colombian Consulate and a press conference to meet the early evening news bulletins in Colombia.

Moises: Silver Medal Winner in the Village

 
 

  Whilst being interviewed on television a call came through to the Ambassador from the President of Colombia and we were privileged to hear him congratulate Moises on his success. A late night for everyone, but something special to be so close.

                                                            TV Interview with Caracol

     Rob Celebrates with Carlos (Colombian Paralympic Association President) and his wife Carolina

Setting up for the Cycle Road Racing

The last few days have been busy as we moved the cycling team from the Velodrome to the Road Racing base at Brands Hatch Formula One circuit in Kent.  Not without incident, we spent a lot of time at Evans Cycles in Canary Wharf securing the purchase of a replacement bike. Not as easy a process as it could have been!

I have been down in the pits with the team cycle car for much of the time and those who have been following from the begining of the Olympics will know what a cycle car look like!

Brands Hatch is a wonderful venue and the infrastructure and support for the Gamesmakers excellent. It is a large site and distance between functional areas a long way.

Cycle Team Pit Area 

Chepe (Cycle Team Manager) and Victor (Team Mechanic) at Canary Wharf

                                 Our Neighbours the Dutch Cycle Team with a lot of bikes

Saturday: "Baloncesto" - Wheelchair Basketball

Friday was much the same as Thursday we were sorting bits and pieces inbetween supporting the teams in the various stadia. I spent some time operating as an interpretter for the Secretary General at some official functions and spent time with Carlos and his wife Carolina talking about Colombia and our anglo-colombian family. Carlos is the president of the Colombian Paralympic Association, he is blind and they are amazing company.

Saturday was my day off this week, but Nicola had managed to get 2 tickets for the Colombia v Team GB basketball match at the North Greenwich Arena ( The O2 once again when the sponsorship restrictions are lifted). We travelled up together and we met with Mike and Randall from the Colombian NPC team and Juan the boss and Carlos. I was able to sit in the technical support area (you may have seen me on Channel 4) for the game and be backstage in the team area ahead of the game. A very different and very close up experience.

Depending on your viewpoint it was a great night for Team GB or a bad night for Colombia.........

Rob, Nicola and Gus with Carlos and Juan Salazar from the Colombian team

                                            Supporters congratulate Team GB on their victoy

                                                           Colombian Team in a time out

Wheelchair basket ball is an amazing gladiator sport and could take off in the UK as both a participation and spectator sport post paralympics.