Oscar Pistorious | Lucy Barclay

Me, a non-sports fan, have suddenly found myself swept up in the London 2012 hype. Why? Well my feelings towards it prior to yesterday were fairly nonchalant: I didn’t really see why people were excited but equally didn’t understand the people moaning. But yesterday I travelled to London for the launch party of the online TV channel I’ve been working on, it just so happened that the launch was at Marble Arch. As I approached said location the torch was apparently going to be ‘travelling’ through there. And for me it was not so much the seeing of the torch that got me thinking. In fact I didn’t manage to catch a glimpse! It was more the atmosphere, everyone around me was excited and talking about the games. You couldn’t move for the people around you and I realised that this was something bringing everyone together.

London 2012 Tower Bridge

As I said I’m not in it for the sport. I’m not particularly riveted by the fact that Usain Bolt may run the 100 metres in 9 seconds (if I blink I might miss it), nor am excited by the thought of watching people on bikes cycle round really fast in circular dome. But that aside while I don’t enjoy the sport itself, I do enjoy watching an athlete’s reaction upon winning and achieving their goal. It’s not the physical feat that I get excited about, I’m not interested in the world records or medals themselves, but watching someone achieving what they have worked so hard for. (And I don’t like to admit it) That is one of the things I do find inspiring about sport.

Some things will be unmissable. I’m excited to see Oscar Pistorius run for the South African team. He of course has been nicknamed the fastest man on no legs. This is a man that has overcome massive adversity to fulfil his dreams. I for one hope he wins!

And of course the other thing I’m excited about is the opening ceremony. I felt the atmosphere in London yesterday and know that it will continue to be incredible. I just want to see what London can do!