3rd September - London 2012 Paralympic Games

On September 3rd, I got up, had breakfast and made my way to the Olympic Park. I had a few extra minutes to kill, and I took lots of photos on my way to my shift. 

The Orbit in the Olympic Park

I took some pictures of the Orbit, one of the amazing structures in the Olympic Park. Only a few weeks previous, I had been at the very top of the Orbit, and was able to see some amazing sights in London. 

As I made my way through the Olympic Park, I noticed a crowd gathering around someone. I wasn't sure who it was - so I decided to have a nosey. As I approached this person, all I could see was camera flashes, and all I could hear were cheers. There was an athlete in the middle of this huge crowd, and she had a bronze medal around her neck. It was Angela Madsen of the United States. She proudly posed for a picture with me. Actually, I should have said that I proudly posed for a photo with her! What an inspiration! 

When I began my shift at the Basketball Arena, I seen some extraordinary wheelchair basketball being played. Some of the skill involved in that sport is unbelievable! 

As part of my shift, I was able to go outside and interact with the spectators. I had to give them directions, answer queries and make sure they had an amazing time! The view of the arena from outside was amazing! The London 2012 flags were displayed everywhere, and there was an immense buzz around the place. The Games Makers were dancing and high-fiving people. How amazing would that be, if that was a permanent job? I would happily do this for free for the rest of my life!

When I went back inside the arena, I spotted a man in a wheelchair, with a green jacket saying 'Ireland' on the back. I knew he was an athlete, and I got extremely excited because I hadn't met any Irish athletes at all during my time in London. His name was Mark Rohan, and he was a Paralympic hand-cyclist. He told me his inspiring story about how he used to play Gaelic Football - but was paralysed from the waist-down after being injured in a car accident. He went on to win two Gold medals!

As the day continued, the teams battled it out to earn a place in the later stages of the competition, which was to be held at the North Greenwich Arena. After the games had concluded, a number of Games Makers and myself made our way to the pub, (I mean, home), and posed for photos as we left the Olympic Park. Another amazing day of being a Games Maker at London 2012.

Me, Ade, Katie, Mark, Gem & Matt with another Games Maker