Angie shares her memories of being an Olympic torchbearer for London 2012.
What a day! What an honour! 24th July 2012 was a day in my life which will go down in history as it was the day that I carried the Olympic torch.
The fever pitch throughout the UK reached an absolute high when the lamp started its journey from Lands End having arrived from Greece, it was 7.01am on Saturday 19th May. The 8,000 mile relay would be conducted throughout the UK and streets of London until it reached the Olympic Park for the start of the games on 27th July.
So with just three days to go until the Opening Ceremony, I was escorted to Kew Gardens, where I was to start my run. It was probably the slowest 300 metres I have ever run – I just wanted to save the moment.
11.15am and I’m at the gates of Kew Gardens, and I can see the preceeding Torch Bearer in the distance, he meets me, we conduct “The Kiss”, the gas cylinder to his Torch is turned off and I am now the only person in the world holding the Olympic Torch – what a rush, what a feeling.
The crowds are screaming, shouting, clapping and yelling. Music is blaring from the Lloyds TSB trailer and the community spirit is tense – not negative tense, very very positive tense.
The sweetest part of the whole experience was going back to base where I see my beautiful daughters and lovely husband waiting to give me a massive hug.
It was a fabulous feeling!
