Media 2010 Games Blog Richmond got Olympic Fever
| Richmond got Olympic Fever |
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I witnessed the Olympic torch relay yesterday when in Richmond. When I arrived at Williams Rd, you could see the Canadian flag was everywhere. Almost everyone was wearing a red or a white shirt. Some people were on the balconies watching all the activities and although it was freezing and a bit windy outside, lots of people were waited for the arrival of the Flame. Shouts grew louder and louder and I could feel the excitement filling the people around me as they started to yell "Go Canada Go!"
Then, the Torch arrived! It was incredible to see the Torch with my own eyes. Everyone had big smiles on their faces and many kids ran alongside the torch bearer however they didn't seem tired.
At night, the lighting celebration took place in Minoru Park, the site of the O Zone. I arrived at 7pm and it seemed like the whole city of Richmond gathered there for the celebration. The crowd was so big that I couldn't squeeze into the celebratory area and was only able to see the stage from afar. At 8pm, Rick Hanson arrived on stage with the Torch and lighted the cauldron and everyone at Minoru Park exploded with shouts and applauds.
As I made my way back to the parking lot, group of Holland athletes were singing songs in their native language. Even though I didn't know the song or the language, I followed their rhythm and even started to sing some of the songs that were repeated.
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