Events Blog
The
Sydney 2000 Olympic Games Torch Relay
Saturday June 24, 2000 is a
day I will never forget. I grabbed the once in a lifetime opportunity by
going up with my father to the main sporting ground of Ayr called Rugby Park,
where the Burdekin Roosters play rugby league. Rugby Park was the venue
of the lunch stopover of the Olympic Flame Torch Relay, before arriving at
Townsville that night.
During the Lunch stopover at
Ayr, I had lunch there at Rugby Park, while waiting for the flame to
arrive. After a while after the torch arrived in the sporting ground, it
was subsequently lit on the caldron for about 40 minutes while at the
stopover. There was entertainment of all kinds, and thousands of people
from the Burdekin area, to celebrate the one in a lifetime event.
Even though I didn't run in
the relay, I still had the chance to hold a torch for a few minutes as did most
people who attended the relay, and so I did. It was a fitting honor to hold the torch, even more so for me, as I live in
a small country town. I couldn't believe my eyes when I saw the flame
being lit on the caldron for real. I thought I was watching it on
television, but no. It was for real, and it is surely a once in a
lifetime event I will remember for the rest of my life.
See Photos of the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games Relay at Ayr in the Photo Gallery
William
Walker