Raising the flag raised my spirits (From Times Series)

Raising the flag raised my spirits

4:13pm Friday 26th September 2008

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Today I was fortunate enough to attend the raising of the Olympic Flags at City Hall. The ceremony was simple, dignified but enormously powerful - perhaps as a result of the simplicity of the event.

There was very little pomp, just a pride that London was to host the World's best sporting event. It was also made special by the presence not only of the women's arm only single scull Paralympic gold medallist Helene Raynsford; Chris Holmes MBE, one of Britain's most successful Paralympic swimmers, but also Olympians from the last London Games in 1948.

The sight of the flags being raised whilst the London 2012 banners were unfurled from Tower Bridge was truly uplifting. We may not be able to match the theatrics of the Beijing ceremonies, but the back drop of Tower Bridge showed London itself is the best backdrop we could wish for.