Australian Olympic experts were extraordinarily complimentary about the London Olympics at events I attended in Canberra and Sydney on Wednesday to mark the milestone of ‘One Year To Go’.
The Sydney event, a fundraising dinner for the Australian team, was a fantastic spectacle. There were 800 people including some 80 Olympians. The room was decked in Union Jacks with models of Big Ben on every table and we were entertained with songs from the Last Night of the Proms, and a medley of Beatles, Rolling Stones and Dusty Springfield.
Australian Olympic Chairman John Coates who had recently been in London told the crowd that it was shaping up to be the best Games ever. He noted approvingly how well advanced the venues were, adding that part of the reason was the involvement of many Australians in the process. I added that the Australian team would be sure to find a warm welcome in London given the close personal ties between our countries. There was plenty of friendly jousting about the sporting rivalry between us.
Olympians are extraordinary individuals and it was a privilege to sit next to Anna Meares, the cyclist who came back from broken neck to win silver in Beijing.
There is a huge buzz here around the London Olympics. I spoke at a large lunch in Canberra earlier in the day, and will be off to Adelaide next week for a similar event.